This Isn't About Politics. It's About Lives.
Florida can end needless gun violence without taking away anyone's rights.
David Jolly supports four measures to reduce gun violence in Florida: ban the sale of new assault weapons, require universal background checks for all firearm sales to close loopholes, explore licensing requirements for firearm ownership, and preserve and expand Florida's red flag laws. These proposals aim to keep firearms out of dangerous hands without confiscating guns from law-abiding owners or infringing on Second Amendment rights.
Responsible gun owners are not the problem. Lax gun laws are.
Across Florida, families wake up every day hoping their kids come home safe. Parents drop children at school and wonder if today will be the day something happens. That is not normal. That is not acceptable. And it is not inevitable.
This state has suffered enough. Parkland. Pulse. Too many names. Too many funerals. Too many moments of silence that change nothing.
The question is not whether Floridians have a right to own firearms. They do. The question is whether politicians in Tallahassee will finally do something to keep those firearms out of the hands of people who should never have them.
What Florida Can Do Right Now
The solutions exist. They are not radical. They are not complicated. And they do not infringe on the rights of responsible gun owners.
Ban the sale of assault weapons. These are weapons of war, not hunting or home defense. No civilian needs them. Every day they remain on store shelves is a day Florida chooses gun lobby talking points over the safety of its people.
Require universal and comprehensive background checks. Right now, too many guns change hands with no questions asked. Close the loopholes. Make sure every sale, every transfer, every transaction includes a real check. If someone should not have a gun, they should not be able to get one. Period.
Explore licensing for firearm ownership. Floridians need a license to drive. A license to fish. A license to cut hair. The idea that deadly weapons require less accountability than a boat makes no sense. Licensing is not about taking guns away. It is about making sure people who own them know how to use them safely and store them responsibly.
Preserve and expand the red flag laws passed after Parkland. These laws save lives. They give families and law enforcement a tool to intervene before tragedy strikes. They should be protected. They should be strengthened. And they should never be rolled back to appease special interests.
None of this is about disarming law-abiding citizens. All of it is about disarming a broken system that puts politics over people.
This Is Bigger Than Party
Gun violence does not care about political affiliation. It does not check voter registration before it takes a life. Democrats grieve. Republicans grieve. Independents grieve. Parents across every county in this state grieve.
The only people who benefit from inaction are the ones who profit from it. The rest of Florida pays the price.
Responsible gun owners understand this. They lock their firearms. They teach their kids gun safety. They support common-sense laws because they know those laws protect their families too. The loudest voices in this debate are not theirs. The loudest voices belong to lobbyists and politicians who have decided that doing nothing is easier than doing the right thing.
Florida deserves better. Floridians deserve leaders willing to act.
Be Part of the Solution
This campaign is about bringing people together to demand change. If you believe Florida can do better, add your voice.
Get InvolvedHard work and hope should be enough. So should sending your kid to school.
Floridians should not have to wonder if their loved ones will make it home. They should not have to live in a state where politicians care more about campaign contributions than constituents. They should not have to accept gun violence as the price of freedom.
This is not about taking anyone's rights. This is about protecting everyone's right to live. To learn. To gather in public without fear. To build a life in a state that values that life.
Florida can end needless gun violence. The question is whether its leaders will let it.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Does David Jolly want to take away guns from responsible owners?
No. None of the four proposals would confiscate firearms from law-abiding owners. The assault weapons ban targets new sales only, not existing ownership, and the other measures close legal gaps that put firearms in dangerous hands.
Q. Would an assault weapons ban take away common rifles like the AR-15?
The proposal follows the federal Assault Weapons Ban model (1994-2004), which did not retroactively confiscate legally owned AR-15s but prohibited new manufacture and sale of weapons meeting specific feature criteria. Existing legally owned firearms would be grandfathered.
Q. Does David Jolly support the Second Amendment?
Yes. Jolly explicitly recognizes the constitutional right to bear arms and operates within the constitutional framework. Assault weapons bans, background checks, red flag laws, and licensing have all been used in various states for decades without violating Supreme Court precedents.
Q. What gun laws does Florida have right now?
Florida currently has post-Parkland reforms including minimum age 21 to purchase firearms, 3-day waiting period, red flag law, and bump stock ban. Florida became a permitless-carry state in 2023. Private-sale background checks are not required, only sales by licensed dealers.
Q. What is a red flag law?
Red flag laws allow law enforcement or family members to ask a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals at significant risk of harming themselves or others. A judge issues a temporary order, then holds a full hearing where the person can contest it. Florida enacted its red flag law after Parkland in 2018.
Q. How many Floridians die from guns each year?
Approximately 3,200 Floridians died of gun-related injuries in 2024, including homicides, suicides, accidents, and law enforcement deaths. Firearms became the leading cause of death for U.S. children and adolescents in 2020.
Q. Aren't most gun deaths suicides, and how do gun laws help that?
Yes, about 58% of U.S. gun deaths are suicides. Gun laws specifically reduce gun suicides through purchase waiting periods, safe-storage laws, and red flag laws that allow temporary firearm removal when family members notice warning signs like depression or threats of self-harm.
Q. Don't we need guns to defend ourselves?
Self-defense is a recognized constitutional right and legitimate reason for firearm ownership. None of Jolly's proposals would prevent law-abiding Floridians from owning firearms for self-defense. The proposals address gaps that allow firearms to reach legally prohibited individuals and dangerous individuals in crisis.