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.
The window upgrades were approved by the state legislature as part of a larger project to upgrade the building in 2019. And while the project isn’t scheduled to be completed until 2027, Florida’s current political climate is bringing more attention to the upgrades.
Florida Department of Management Services spokesman Dan Barrow told The 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.”
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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.”
The Sentinel notes that the language written in the state budget regarding the renovation only says that security improvements would be made, and does not specifically mention bulletproofing the windows — something that reportedly took some lawmakers by surprise.
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 DeSantis signed a bill that allows Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
The law created by the bill took effect on July 1 and allows those who carry a concealed weapon to do so without undergoing training or a background check.
“There is a real cognitive dissonance here… we’re passing policies that make people less safe and around more guns,” Eskamani told the Sentinel. “The policies the Legislature pushes don’t make us more safe.”
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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 the Sentinel that 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 and killed three Black people before killing himself.
The guns used in that attack were both legally purchased, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education