Sixty One Percent of Floridians Oppose Forcing Colleges and Universities to Allow Concealed Weapons on Campus; Sixty One Percent of Floridians Also Oppose Allowing Guns in K-12 Schools
Florida’s Legislature has Proposed Six Gun Lobby-Backed Bills that Would Defy Position of Majority of Floridians and Entire State University System
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Florida Moms Demand Action today released a new poll showing a strong majority of Floridians opposes the gun lobby-backed legislation in the Florida legislature that would force guns onto college campuses and allow guns into K-12 schools.
Among the poll’s findings:
- 61 percent of Floridians oppose requiring colleges and universities to allow concealed weapons on their campuses.
- 61 percent of Floridians oppose changing Florida law to allow guns in K-12 schools.
- Only eight percent of Floridians say the state’s gun laws should be weakened, compared to 48 percent who would like to see gun laws strengthened, and 39 percent who would like gun laws to remain unchanged.
“The poll shows that Floridians overwhelmingly oppose the gun lobby’s misguided push to force guns onto college campuses and allow them in K-12 schools,” said Chryl Anderson, a volunteer with the Florida Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “We already know campus police, college presidents, faculty, and students stand against this legislation. This is more evidence that the legislators who support these dangerous bills are out of touch with what Floridians really want.”
Moms have already spoken out against each of these bills. Two weeks ago, a coalition of moms, gun violence survivors, law enforcement, educators, and students rallied against the legislation at the State Capitol. They delivered 12,000 postcards to legislators signed by Floridians with the message “backpacks and bullets don’t mix.” And earlier this month, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Florida Moms Demand Action released a TV ad highlighting NRA Leader Wayne LaPierre’s “No Guns in America’s Schools, Period” Speech at the 1999 NRA Convention.
Already this year, North Dakota and Wyoming have rejected similar legislation. Everytown for Gun Safety and the Florida Chapter of Moms Demand Action urge Florida lawmakers to follow suit.
About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million supporters and more than 40,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement of American mothers founded the day after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand