Legislation that would make it illegal to shoot a firearm over or through someone else’s property in Florida has cleared its first hurdle.
A Senate Criminal Justice committee gave Senate Bill 270 the nod Tuesday to legislation Democrats are touting as a property rights bill. The bill's sponsor, Boynton Beach Democratic Sen. Lori Berman, said she wants to keep property owners safe and out of harm’s way.
“Just as people have the right to fire guns on their property, people who are on their own property should have the right to be safe,” said Berman.
Gun rights advocates argue the bill is taking a shot at their second amendment rights. They see the measure as "too restrictive."
“Our 2 million members are completely against this bill in its entirety," Luis Valdes, the Florida State Director for Gun Owners of America said at Tuesday's panel. "Private property rights are to be protected and one of those rights is for people to be able to shoot in their own backyards legally and justifiably on their private property.”
If passed, violators would be hit with a third-degree felony and subject to fines if a round they fire exits their property and enters the property of another person who has not given consent. The bill includes exceptions for self defense.