Florida: BETRAYAL: Report on HB-169 Burden of Proof in Committee on 11/17/2015

   
HB-169 Burden of Proof  by Rep. Dennis Baxley was heard in the House Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday, November 17, 2015, at 9:00 AM.

In what can only be called a betrayal orchestrated by Republican Committee Chairman, Carlos Trujillo (R-Miami), HB-169 was KILLED on a 6-6 tie vote.  It was a betrayal of law-abiding gun owners, the bill sponsor, and the process itself.

Another Republican, Charles Van Zant (R-Keystone Heights) totally sold out law-abiding gun owners by voting with Chairman Trujillo and the Democrats against your self-defense rights.

There were two amendments offered by antigun Democrat Dave Kerner that effectively gutted the bill of penalties to punish prosecutors for abusive behavior.

Chairman Trujillo and Rep. Charles Van Zant voted with Democrats to pass the bad amendments and two Republican committee members got up and left the room before the votes.  Those two are reported to have been asked by Chairman Trujillo to "walk" (leave the room).

Why would a Chairman ask committee members to "walk" before a vote?

Simple, if they were not there to vote against the bad amendments, the amendments would pass -- and they did.    And, if they are not there to vote in favor of a bill, the bill will be killed.  And it was.

So with the help of 4 Republicans, the bad amendments offered by Democrats passed and the bill was killed. 

How they voted:

The votes on the two bad amendments were the same 6-5 for passage:

Voting FOR the Bad Amendments
Randolph Bracy (D)
Dave Kerner (D)
Sharon Pritchett (D)
Charles Van Zant (R)
Clovis Watson (D)
Carlos Trujillo (R)

Voting AGAINST the Amendments
Dennis Baxley (R)
Jay Fant (R)
Gayle Harrell (R)
Scott Plakon (R)
Ross Spano (R)

ABSENT DURING VOTES on AMENDMENTS
Chris Latvala (R)
Ray Pilon (R)

FINALLY, as an insult to the bill Sponsor and supporters of bill, after gutting the bill,
they KILLED THE BILL in a 6-6 tie vote -- a tie ALWAYS kills.

Voting AGAINST the BILL
Randolph Bracy (D)
Dave Kerner (D)
Sharon Pritchett (D)
Charles Van Zant (R)
Clovis Watson (D)
Carlos Trujillo (R)

Voting FOR the BILL
Dennis Baxley (R)
Jay Fant (R)
Gayle Harrell (R)
Ray Pilon (R)
Scott Plakon (R)
Ross Spano (R)

ABSENT FOR THE VOTE ON THE BILL
Chris Latvala (R)

It is important to recognize and remember the committee members who were loyal to the Constitution and your right of self-defense -- as well it is the betrayers.

A report on other bills heard this week will be forthcoming.