MIAMI — Alongside gun safety advocates and community leaders, Charlie Crist, candidate for governor, unveiled his “Safer Florida for All” plan to better protect Florida’s neighborhoods and schools from gun violence.
Charlie’s “Safer Florida for All” plan, which has been endorsed by Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN) and is supported by the BradyPAC, takes measured and reasonable steps to prevent gun violence, including expanding background checks, preventing domestic abusers from access to firearms, ending the sale of high-capacity magazines and assault weapons, and funding locally driven violence prevention strategies.
“From the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando to the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, our state has been marked deeply by the gun violence epidemic that has torn families and communities apart. It’s past time for Florida to honor the lives and legacies of those tragically lost with action,” said Charlie Crist.“
Our Safer Florida For All initiative takes real steps to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists. Florida shouldn’t have to continue to endure gun violence tragedies without action – and as Governor, I’m going to take action.”
“Safer Florida for All” has also been supported by Mike and Kristin Song, parents and gun control activists who spearheaded the passage of a bipartisan gun safety bill, “Ethan’s Law.”
“We enthusiastically support Charlie Crist’s plan to keep kids safe via the smart storage of firearms. On January 31, 2018, our son Ethan was shot and killed by an unsecured gun in a neighbor’s home. Since that tragedy, our mission has been to save lives by spreading the word about safe storage. These proposed measures do just that — they will save lives without infringing on anyone’s right to bear arms. Our motto is Kids Around, Lock Guns Down!” said Mike and Kristin Song.“
Last year, over 1,000 Floridians died from gun violence, and another 1,600 were injured. The policies in the Safer Florida for All plan will address gun violence in all its forms, preventing many of these tragedies from ever occurring. This will save Florida families from unquantifiable trauma and costs to society. I applaud this common-sense plan that will save lives and make Florida a safer state for all,” said Jason Pressberg, BradyPAC Executive Director.
The “Safer Florida for All” plan will protect Florida neighborhoods from gun violence by:
- Ending the sale of assault weapons like those used in the Pulse and Parkland massacres
- Enforcing gun laws, including background checks for all firearm sales, cracking down on ghost guns, and limiting gun trafficking by limiting gun purchases to once a month and reporting lost of stolen guns
- Improving community safety by strengthening Red Flag and safe storage laws
- Supporting survivors and families by establishing a Mass Shooting Emergency Response Fund and Office of Gun Violence Prevention to meet the needs of the community after the unthinkable happens.
