TAMPA – Florida is moving closer to implementing stricter penalties for minors caught carrying guns, with the state’s House set to deliberate on a bill that aims to impose tougher consequences on Wednesday.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri has been instrumental in shaping the Juvenile Justice Bill, emphasizing the urgent need for legislative action. “The laws need to change,” Gualtieri stated in December, emphasizing the necessity to adopt a stern approach towards juvenile offenders. “We need to get serious and we need to get tough, and these kids need to get locked up. Send a message,” he asserted.
Gualtieri’s remarks followed the tragic death of 23-year-old Abrille Baldwin, allegedly at the hands of her 14-year-old brother during a dispute over Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. Subsequently, the 15-year-old brother purportedly shot his younger sibling.
Expressing concern over the proliferation of firearms among youths, Gualtieri emphasized, “This proliferation of guns on the streets and guns in this area and guns in the hands of these kids, this is the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Both brothers involved in the incident had prior charges related to possessing firearms, with Gualtieri suspecting that the guns used in the Largo shooting were stolen from unlocked cars—a prevalent trend in the region.
The proposed legislation aims to escalate penalties for minors found illegally possessing guns, elevating the offense from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony for first-time offenders. Additionally, it seeks to extend the duration of juvenile detention, with first-time offenders facing five days, second-time offenders spending 21 days, and third-time offenders being committed to a juvenile residential program.
Representative Berny Jacques, the sponsor of House Bill 1191, underscored the bill’s significance in enhancing public safety. “We’re going to be safer as a result when we address these types of offenses,” Jacques affirmed, emphasizing the potential benefits for young individuals ensnared in the criminal justice system.
The Senate’s Fiscal Policy Committee is scheduled to review the House’s companion bill on Thursday, signaling a bipartisan effort to address the issue of juvenile gun possession and associated criminal activity.