Jaime Guttenberg
By Sharon Aron Baron
Senator Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) and Representative Dan Daley (D-Coral Springs) have filed a bill for the 2023 Legislative Session, named “Jaime’s Law,” that would close the background check loophole and require background checks on all individuals purchasing ammunition in Florida.
SB 146 and HB 151 are named in honor of 14-year-old Jaime Guttenberg, who tragically lost her life in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018.
This legislation would close the background check loophole and would, if passed, require background checks on all individuals purchasing ammunition.
Currently, in Florida, those prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm are prohibited from buying ammunition. However, Florida law contains a loophole that does not require vendors to run background checks on ammunition purchases to ensure that the purchasing individual can legally do so. This bill aims to close this loophole and ensure that ammunition does not fall into the wrong hands.
The bill’s sponsors emphasized the urgency of the issue, citing increasing gun violence and deaths in the country.
State Senator Tiny Polsky and State Representative Dan Daley.
“Deaths by gun violence continue to increase precipitously in America. In fact, gun violence recently surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death of our children in this country. We need to take every precaution we can to save lives. If guns require a background check, then so should the bullets that do the harm,” said Senator Polsky.
Representative Daley, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School graduate and a member of the community affected by the tragedy, added, “As a member of the community affected by this tragedy, I am deeply committed to ensuring that such an event never occurs again. That is why I have consistently sponsored and advocated for the passage of ‘Jaime’s Law’ for the past three Legislative Sessions. Twenty-one other states already have some type of background check in place, and six states specifically require background checks on the sales of ammunition. This bill is a step in the right direction and should receive wide bipartisan support.”
Fred Guttenberg, gun reform advocate and father of Jaime Guttenberg, also expressed his support for the bill.
“If someone is prohibited from buying a firearm, then it would only make sense they would also be prohibited from purchasing ammunition. We must close this ammunition loophole, and this bill is a step in the right direction to do it. Jaime’s Law will help save lives immediately,” he said.
The bill is expected to face opposition from pro-gun groups and organizations. Still, the sponsors are hopeful that it will receive wide support from both parties and be passed in the upcoming legislative session.
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