A bill that would make it harder for people with mental illness to obtain firearms passed the Florida House Judiciary Committee with no opposition, the Associated Press reports. The measure was sponsored by a Democratic lawmaker who cited an example of a mentally ill Dade County resident who had 200 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The bill even received support from the National Rifle Association.
In other legislative news:
- Lobbyists for health insurers are crying foul over a proposal to repeal a tax break the industry has gotten for decades to make up for the elimination of unpopular fees for motorists, the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau reports.
- Nursing-home care could be coming to The Villages and other retirement communities, thanks to approval by the House Health Innovation Subcommittee to create an exemption on the moratorium on additional nursing home beds, the News Service of Florida reports.
- There are a few bills that touch on abortion matters, but lawmakers say the issue is not a priority this session, the Palm Beach Post reports.
- Injured people who were hoping lawmakers would approve their requests for large payouts from local governments are out of luck until next year, the Palm Beach Post reports. State Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, says none of the claims will be dealt with until lawmakers can pass an overhaul of the system, and that’s not going to happen during this session.