Florida State Capitol.Photo: Steven Greaves / Getty Images
The state of Florida is spending $61.6 million to add bulletproof glass to its Capitol — while simultaneously passing legislation that makes it easier for people to bring weapons into state buildings.
Florida Department of Management Services spokesman Dan Barrow toldThe Orlando Sentinel, “The purpose of the project is to replace all windows, which are original to the building, with a modernized window system that provides energy efficiency and security benefits. The new windows will be more resilient.”
He did not provide specific details about the bulletproofing of the windows, telling the outlet, “We don’t discuss specifics on security measures at the Capitol because doing so could compromise said security measures."
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, told the outlet the bulletproofing was “kind of intense” for what she initially thought was a general renovation.
But even more surprising, she added, was that the project comes months after Gov.Ron DeSantissigned a bill that allows Floridians tocarry concealed weapons without a permit.
“There is a real cognitive dissonance here… we’re passing policies that make people less safe and around more guns,” Eskamani told theSentinel. “The policies the Legislature pushes don’t make us more safe.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is vying for the Republican Party’s nomination in the 2024 presidential election.Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via AP
The Florida bill that eliminates the need to get a license to carry a concealed weapon was signed into law in April.
State Sen. Linda Stewart, also a Democrat, told theSentinelthat some lawmakers remain concerned about whether the concealed carry bill allows people to bring weapons inside state buildings like the Capitol in Tallahassee.
The outlet notes that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement currently prohibits people from bringing firearms into the Capitol unless they have a concealed carry permit.
“I don’t know what good windows are going to be if you can’t control access,” Stewart added.
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In recent months, a number of notable shootings have taken place in Florida, including one in Jacksonville on Saturday, when a racist 20-year-old armed with an AR-15 style rifle and a Glock stormed a Dollar General store andkilled three Black peoplebefore killing himself.
The guns used in that attack were bothlegally purchased, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
source: people.com
