Consideration for bill to allow guns at churches that share property with schools is postponed

A Florida lawmaker is fighting to allow concealed weapons on certain church campuses.

Senate bill 1238  was set to be considered by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee today in Tallahassee.

Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole spoke with members of a local church about how that bill would affect their safety protocol.

TRENDING: 

• Photos: Renderings of new development that could be coming near the St. Johns Town Center
• Auburn University gymnast breaks both legs during floor routine
• First openly autistic attorney in Florida inspires local families
• St. Johns County deputy involved crash on State Road 16
• Wandering boy, 4, alerts police to larger issue in West Jacksonville neighborhood

If you have a concealed weapons license, Sen. Debbie Mayfield, the Republican state senator who represents District 17,  thinks you should be allowed to  carry your gun at a church and other religious institutions that share property with schools.

"I don't think it's a good idea. I think it would proliferate guns and the opportunity for mischief and misuse of guns,” Gilbert Wright told Action News Jax.

Cole spoke to members of a local church that falls under the parameters of this bill.

Impact Church and Impact Academy are in Jacksonville’s East Arlington area.

STAY UPDATED: Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories

"The safety of our folks, the safety of our parishioners, the safety of our students, our staff is huge for us,” said Randall Jordan, the Executive Director of Administration for Impact which came to Jacksonville in 1996.

“The school is a part of our ministry. So the school and church are one and the same for us. It's a part of the vision of our pastors since day one,” said Jordan.

The director also said that safety has always been a No. 1 priority.

“With respect to both the church and the school — we have people who are here at all times to make sure we're safe and handle any situation that may come up,” Jordan said.

According to Jordan, there are more than 250 people on campus during the week at Impact Academy.

On Sunday for church service, he said there at least a couple of thousand people in the building.

Jordan told Cole the church has been very aggressive about enforcing safety protocol and vetting those who have weapons on their property.

“Having a concealed weapons permit doesn't necessarily indicate that you're skilled in the use of a weapon, or having an understanding of when to fire or not to fire in a populated  environment,” said Jordan.

If the bill passes, even with a concealed weapons permit, you won't be allowed inside the doors of Impact Church unless you're authorized.

“We would be very limited in who we would permit to have a weapon. We'd make sure those initially are folks that we know are well trained and that we know the personalities, also,” Jordan said.

While the bill remains on the committee agendaa, any action to be taken on the bill has been temporarily postponed.

Jordan said the bill won't really change the way the church operates.

Instead, it’ll encourage the church to take every step it can to protect everyone who steps foot on the church and school campus.

“We continue to pray for our city and for our state and we'll continue to be diligent in what we do here to make sure our folks are safe and feel safe,” said Jordan.

Cox Media Group