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{"id":67722,"date":"2021-04-27T18:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T22:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/?p=67722"},"modified":"2021-04-27T15:09:26","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T19:09:26","slug":"bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill Allowing Guns in Churches With Schools Attached Heads to the Governor\u2019s Desk"},"content":{"rendered":"

A multi-year effort to close a loophole preventing churches with schools on their grounds from allowing firearms on their premises is headed to the Governor\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

Republicans believe it will make the churches safer, while Democrats argue it will do just the opposite.<\/p>\n

<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Places of worship can already allow guns on their property, but if they have a school on their grounds they can\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Senate sponsor Joe Gruters said all this legislation does is close that loophole.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt’s not up to the individual. The religious institution can still determine time, place, where, when, how, who,\u201d said Gruters.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-67722 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000008\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000008-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000008-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000008-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000008.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000007\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000007-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000007-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000007-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000007.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>But Democrats argued more guns equals more danger.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe there are other ways to make those institutions safe, and we all know basically nowhere is safe, and that’s because there’s just too many guns in America,\u201d said Senator Tina Polsky.<\/p>\n<p>The legislation only applies to concealed carry permit holders, which according to <a href=\"https:\/\/poseidon01.ssrn.com\/delivery.php?ID=990100103003011087089029023004012007060083047068050089011071103123008101094123088018020025118033005042003065064030099091113094108038011069020030092118021003075054075023003001092126067090016090071077020117012027089116085113005067002097119079030064&EXT=pdf&INDEX=TRUE\">a 2016 report conducted by the Crime Prevention Research Center<\/a> are the most law abiding demographic in the Country.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-67722 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000002-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000002-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000002-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000002-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000002.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000004\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000004-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000004-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000004-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000004.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000005\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000005-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000005-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000005-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000005.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Gruters also pointed to a case in 2019, where a gunman was stopped by an armed churchgoer at the West Freeway Church of Christ in Texas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSix seconds it took them to secure that location,\u201d said Gruters. “This gives schools the needed safety they need, it gives churches the additional security that they need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Senate Minority Leader Gary Farmer expressed concerns that if a church doesn\u2019t allow firearms the legislation could open them up to lawsuits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe’ve seen that the NRA is voracious in their ability and their willingness to go to court and try to block any kind of common sense gun safety precaution,\u201d said Farmer.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-67722 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000009\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000009-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000009-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000009-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000009.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000006\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000006-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000006-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000006-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000006.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/2021\/04\/27\/bill-allowing-guns-in-churches-with-schools-attached-heads-to-the-governors-desk\/guns-in-churches00000003\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000003-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000003-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000003-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/guns-in-churches00000003.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>But Gruters rejected that suggestion, arguing the institution has the option of allowing or not allowing guns.<\/p>\n<p>He also pushed back against an argument made by opponents who suggested if a church is on leased property, the property owner would have no say as to whether firearms are allowed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cProperty owners ultimately still have the ultimate control. They get to decide. If the leases are silent, I would say that this is a change of terms of the agreement and they can go back and address that,\u201d said Gruters.<\/p>\n<p>The legislation will take effect upon the Governor\u2019s signature.<\/p>\n<p>Chances of a veto are slim to none.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A multi-year effort to close a loophole preventing churches with schools on their grounds from allowing firearms on their premises is headed to the Governor\u2019s desk. Republicans believe it will make the churches safer, while Democrats argue it will do just the opposite. Places of worship can already allow guns on their property, but if […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67722"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67722"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67732,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67722\/revisions\/67732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}