Miami officials are challenging a Florida state law that prevents local officials from making regulations pertaining to guns, The Miami Herald reported.
A resolution from Miami commissioner Ken Russell has passed unanimously; it called for the city attorney to evaluate a 2011 law that would fine municipal officials $5,0000 for trying to enact gun rules. The law also gave Florida's governor the ability to remove elected officials who violated the law, the Herald reported.
"We have empowered our attorney to take on the state with regard to that legislation to see if it's even constitutional for them to bind our hands like that," Russell said Wednesday.
Supporters of the state law say that one uniform law allow law-abiding gun owners to travel between cities and counties without breaking any local regulations, according to the report.
Russell said that within the city limits, it is his responsibility to keep students safe. "We really believe a city should be able to make its own rules. The way you use a gun in an urban farm community is very different than what we need in a dense municipality … we want that ability to protect our students."
The city of Miami is also planning a series of gun buy-backs, the first of which will be Saturday. The Miami Police, with a $100,000 donation from a local businessman, is organizing the event, which will offer gun owners up to $250 in gift cards in exchange for their guns, according to the report.
"In instances like this, you've got to do what you can … and you've got to be creative when the state isn't stepping up," Russell said.
"If we get just one gun off the street … that's a success already," said Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina.
Walmart stores in Florida temporarily suspended gun sales in response to a state law setting a requirement that a person must be 21 or older to purchase a gun, Fox 4 in Florida reported.
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