1 | A bill to be entitled |
2 | An act relating to regulation of firearms; creating s. |
3 | 790.34, F.S.; creating the Florida Firearms Freedom Act; |
4 | providing a short title; providing legislative findings; |
5 | providing definitions; providing that specified firearms, |
6 | firearm accessories, and ammunition for personal use |
7 | manufactured in the state are not subject to federal law |
8 | or regulation; providing that the importation into the |
9 | state of specified parts and the incorporation of such |
10 | parts into a firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition |
11 | manufactured in the state does not subject the firearm, |
12 | firearm accessory, or ammunition to federal regulation; |
13 | providing that certain basic materials are not subject to |
14 | federal regulation of firearms, firearm accessories, or |
15 | ammunition under interstate commerce; providing that |
16 | specified firearm accessories imported into the state from |
17 | another state do not subject a firearm to federal |
18 | regulation under interstate commerce; providing |
19 | legislative findings with respect thereto; providing |
20 | exceptions; providing applicability; requiring that |
21 | firearms manufactured and sold in the state must bear an |
22 | indicia of manufacture by a specified date; providing an |
23 | effective date. |
24 |
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25 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
26 |
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27 | Section 1. Section 790.34, Florida Statutes, is created to |
28 | read: |
29 | 790.34 Florida Firearms Freedom Act.-- |
30 | (1) SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the |
31 | "Florida Firearms Freedom Act." |
32 | (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.-- |
33 | (a) The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution |
34 | guarantees to the states and their citizens all powers not |
35 | granted to the Federal Government elsewhere in the constitution |
36 | and reserves to the State of Florida and its citizens certain |
37 | powers as they were understood at the time that Florida was |
38 | admitted to statehood in 1845. The guaranty of those powers is a |
39 | matter of contract between the State of Florida and the citizens |
40 | thereof and the United States as of the time that the compact |
41 | with the United States was agreed upon and adopted by Florida |
42 | and the United States in 1845. |
43 | (b) The regulation of intrastate commerce by the Ninth |
44 | Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees to the |
45 | people rights not granted in the constitution and reserves to |
46 | the State of Florida and its citizens certain rights as they |
47 | were understood at the time that Florida was admitted to |
48 | statehood in 1845. The guaranty of those powers is a matter of |
49 | contract between the State of Florida and the citizens thereof |
50 | and the United States as of the time that the compact with the |
51 | United States was agreed upon and adopted by Florida and the |
52 | United States in 1845. |
53 | (c) The regulation of intrastate commerce is vested in the |
54 | states under the Ninth Amendment and the Tenth Amendment to the |
55 | United States Constitution, particularly if not expressly |
56 | preempted by federal law. Congress has not expressly preempted |
57 | state regulation of intrastate commerce pertaining to the |
58 | intrastate manufacture of firearms, firearm accessories, and |
59 | ammunition. |
60 | (d) The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution |
61 | reserves to the people the right to keep and bear arms as that |
62 | right was understood at the time that Florida was admitted to |
63 | statehood in 1845. The guaranty of that right is a matter of |
64 | contract between the State of Florida and its citizens and the |
65 | United States as of the time that the compact with the United |
66 | States was agreed upon and adopted by Florida and the United |
67 | States in 1845. |
68 | (e) Section 8, Article I of the Florida Constitution |
69 | clearly secures to the citizens of Florida, and prohibits |
70 | government interference with, the right of individual Florida |
71 | citizens to keep and bear arms. This constitutional protection |
72 | remains unchanged from the original Florida Constitution, which |
73 | was approved by Congress and the people of Florida, and the |
74 | right exists as it was understood at the time that the compact |
75 | with the United States was agreed upon and adopted by Florida |
76 | and the United States in 1845. |
77 | (3) DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section: |
78 | (a) "Basic materials" means raw materials, including, but |
79 | not limited to, unmachined steel and unshaped wood, used in the |
80 | creation and manufacture of firearms, firearm accessories, or |
81 | ammunition that have manufacturing or consumer product |
82 | applications other than applications in the manufacture of |
83 | firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition. |
84 | (b) "Borders of Florida" means the boundaries of Florida |
85 | as described in s. 1, Art. II of the Florida Constitution. |
86 | (c) "Firearm accessories" means items that are used in |
87 | conjunction with or mounted on a firearm but are not essential |
88 | to the basic function of a firearm, including, but not limited |
89 | to, telescopic or laser sights, magazines, flash or sound |
90 | suppressors, folding or aftermarket stocks and grips, speed- |
91 | loaders, ammunition carriers, and lights for target |
92 | illumination. |
93 | (d) "Generic and insignificant parts" includes, but is not |
94 | limited to, springs, screws, nuts, and pins that may be used in |
95 | the manufacture of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition |
96 | but that have manufacturing or consumer product applications |
97 | other than applications in the manufacture of firearms, firearm |
98 | accessories, or ammunition. |
99 | (e) "Manufactured" means the creation of a firearm, a |
100 | firearm accessory, or ammunition from basic materials for |
101 | functional usefulness, including, but not limited to, forging, |
102 | casting, machining, or any other processes used to form |
103 | materials used in the creation of firearms, firearm accessories, |
104 | or ammunition. |
105 | (4) FIREARMS, FIREARM ACCESSORIES, AND AMMUNITION FOR |
106 | PERSONAL USE MANUFACTURED AND REMAINING IN FLORIDA NOT SUBJECT |
107 | TO FEDERAL LAW OR REGULATION; LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.-- |
108 | (a)1. It is the finding of the Legislature that a firearm, |
109 | firearm accessory, or ammunition for personal use that is |
110 | manufactured commercially or privately in Florida from basic |
111 | materials without the inclusion of any significant parts |
112 | imported from another state and that remains within the borders |
113 | of Florida is not considered to have traveled in interstate |
114 | commerce. |
115 | 2. A firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition that: |
116 | a. Is for personal use; |
117 | b. Is manufactured commercially or privately in Florida |
118 | from basic materials without the inclusion of any significant |
119 | parts imported from another state; |
120 | c. With respect to a firearm, has the words "Made in |
121 | Florida" clearly stamped on a central metallic part of the |
122 | firearm, such as the receiver or frame; and |
123 | d. Remains within the borders of Florida |
124 | |
125 | is not subject to federal law or federal regulation, including |
126 | registration, under the authority of Congress to regulate |
127 | interstate commerce. |
128 | (b)1. It is the finding of the Legislature that generic |
129 | and insignificant parts that may be used in the manufacture of |
130 | firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition but that have |
131 | manufacturing or consumer product applications other than |
132 | applications in the manufacture of firearms, firearm |
133 | accessories, or ammunition are not considered to be firearms, |
134 | firearm accessories, or ammunition. |
135 | 2. The importation into the state of generic and |
136 | insignificant parts that may be used in the manufacture of |
137 | firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition but that have |
138 | manufacturing or consumer product applications other than |
139 | applications in the manufacture of firearms, firearm |
140 | accessories, or ammunition, and the incorporation of such parts |
141 | into a firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition manufactured in |
142 | the state, does not subject the firearm, firearm accessory, or |
143 | ammunition to federal regulation. |
144 | (c)1. It is the finding of the Legislature that basic |
145 | materials, such as unmachined steel and unshaped wood, that may |
146 | be used in the manufacture of firearms, firearm accessories, or |
147 | ammunition but that have manufacturing or consumer product |
148 | applications other than applications in the manufacture of |
149 | firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition are not considered |
150 | to be firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition. |
151 | 2. Basic materials, such as unmachined steel and unshaped |
152 | wood, that may be used in the manufacture of firearms, firearm |
153 | accessories, or ammunition but that have manufacturing or |
154 | consumer product applications other than applications in the |
155 | manufacture of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition are |
156 | not subject to congressional authority to regulate firearms, |
157 | firearm accessories, or ammunition under interstate commerce as |
158 | if such basic materials were actually firearms, firearm |
159 | accessories, or ammunition. |
160 | 3. The authority of Congress to regulate interstate |
161 | commerce in basic materials does not include the authority to |
162 | regulate firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition |
163 | manufactured in the state from basic materials and that remain |
164 | within the state. |
165 | (d) Firearm accessories that are imported into the state |
166 | from another state and that are subject to federal regulation as |
167 | being in interstate commerce do not subject a firearm to federal |
168 | regulation under interstate commerce by virtue of being attached |
169 | to or used in conjunction with a firearm in Florida. |
170 | (5) EXCEPTIONS.--This section does not apply to: |
171 | (a) A firearm that cannot be carried and used by one |
172 | person. |
173 | (b) A firearm that has a bore diameter greater than 1 1/2 |
174 | inches and that uses smokeless powder, rather than black powder, |
175 | as a propellant. |
176 | (c) Ammunition with a projectile that explodes using an |
177 | explosion of chemical energy after the projectile leaves the |
178 | firearm. |
179 | (d) A firearm that discharges two or more projectiles with |
180 | one activation of the trigger or other firing device. |
181 | (6) APPLICABILITY.--This section applies to firearms, |
182 | firearm accessories, and ammunition described in subparagraph |
183 | (4)(a)2. that are manufactured in Florida after October 1, 2010, |
184 | and remain within the state. |
185 | (7) FIREARMS MANUFACTURED IN FLORIDA; INDICIA OF |
186 | MANUFACTURE REQUIRED.--Effective October 1, 2010, a firearm |
187 | manufactured and sold in this state must have the indicia "Made |
188 | in Florida" clearly stamped on a central metallic part of the |
189 | firearm, such as the receiver or frame. |
190 | Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2010. |