Scott Signs ‘Warning Shot’ And ‘Pop Tart’ Bills

June 27, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott has signed a couple of gun bills commonly known as the warning shot bill and the pop tart bill.

The so-called “warning shot” bill allows people to show guns and fire warning shots if they feel threatened. The bill (HB 89) adds immunity for threats to use force to Florida’s “stand your ground” self-defense law.

The House sponsor, Rep. Neil Combee, R-Polk City, has said the bill was inspired by the case of Marissa Alexander, a Jacksonville woman who was faces 60 years in prison under the 10-20-Life sentencing law for firing a warning shot during a domestic dispute.

Democrats in both chambers tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to remove a provision allowing records to be expunged if people who claim “stand your ground” are found innocent. They said keeping open the records would make the law’s success or failure easier to track.

But Republicans argued that people who are forced to defend themselves shouldn’t have a criminal record as a result.

Scott signed another gun bill with a nickname, the “Pop Tart” bill, so called because of its connection to reports of a Maryland 7-year-old who was suspended from school for chewing his breakfast pastry into the shape of a gun.

The bill (HB 7029) is aimed at preventing schoolchildren from being disciplined for simulating guns while playing or for wearing clothes that depict firearms. Supporters of the bill, including the National Rifle Association, said it would bring “common sense” to school zero-tolerance disciplinary policies.

Comments

2 Responses to “Scott Signs ‘Warning Shot’ And ‘Pop Tart’ Bills”

  1. Mike on June 27th, 2014 8:33 pm

    Man, now kids are gonna be running around carrying loaded poptarts, what is this world coming to? :)

  2. MolinoMan on June 27th, 2014 8:41 am

    I had a parent flip out that my 8 year old child drew a gun… Seriously?! I am an artist and my child has been taught to draw since they were born… It was art! I was told if they had drawn that in school they would have gotten suspended… My response “I’d like to see them try it.”

    I made guns out of Legos at Mrs Grimes house growing up running around saying bang bang at all the kids… I played cowboy and Indians, cops and robbers with ALL my buddies as a kid in Molino! Kids like to play/draw what they see, period.

    What is happening to our world… It’s pathetic.