DeSantis targets Florida’s red flag law, sparking debate post-Parkland

Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing to repeal Florida’s red flag law, which allows courts to seize guns from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others.

The red flag law was enacted in response to the tragic Parkland school shooting in 2018, where Nikolas Cruz used an AR-15 to take the lives of 17 students and teachers.

The families of the victims demanded change, leading Florida lawmakers to pass the legislation.

Florida Gulf Coast University professor Dave Thomas explained how the law functions.

“If a person is in danger of harming themselves or harming others, and they call it more of a Protection Act, then law enforcement has to go and get an order, a court order, and then they can remove the firearms from the house, and they can secure them,” said Thomas. “The idea is to secure them for a short time, while that person is going through that crisis, and then they get stabilized, or they can secure them for up to a year. And if that doesn’t, if there’s no change, then they can make a petition to keep them permanent.”

DeSantis argues that the law violates due process because individuals must prove to the court that they are not a threat. He believes the burden should always be on the government.

No bill has been filed in the House or Senate to repeal the law this session.

Both the House speaker and the Senate president voted for the post-Parkland bill in 2018. It remains to be seen if DeSantis’ influence will sway them.