Ten South Florida mayors are joining together to sue the state for the right to make their own gun laws, ABC's Local 10 News reports.
Right now, the state prevents cities and counties from imposing their own gun laws. Local officials face a $5,000 fine if they violate the state law, according to Local 10.
"The idea that we cannot control our own space to make sure it's safe for our residents and visitors is astounding," Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said.
Along with Miami Beach, the cities of Coral Cables, Cutler Bay, Lauderhill, Miami Gardens, Miramar, Pinecrest, Pompano Beach, South Miami and Weston are banding together in the suit.
Following the shootings deaths of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Gov. Rick Scott signed new measures regulating gun sales, Local 10 said.
But the changes did not include prohibiting semiautomatic weapons, it noted.
"We don't want those weapons to be carried in Coral Gables, sold in Coral Gables," Mayor Raul Valdes Fauli said.
And Weston Mayor Daniel Stermer added: "We challenge the rest of the 400-or-so cities in this state and the 67 counties, come stand with us."
The Miami Herald reported the lawsuit represents the most concerted effort to overturn the 2011 law that stopped cities in Florida from going further than the state government does in regulating firearms.
That particular law was signed by Scott and backed by the National Rifle Association, the newspaper said.
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