TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Exactly which guns would be outlawed under a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at stopping Floridians from possessing assault weapons is posing a puzzle for state economists.
The Financial Impact Estimating Conference must conduct an analysis of the proposed amendment, backed by the political committee Ban Assault Weapons NOW, to let voters know whether the measure will increase or decrease costs or revenues and, if so, to what extent.
But before they can get to the number crunching, the economists must nail down the specific weapons the proposal seeks to ban.
Amy Baker is the head of the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
“That is everything to us. That is how many sales are potentially being affected and what manufacturing activities are potentially being affected. It is a critical piece. It is not a cut and dry issue," Baker said.
The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit possession of assault weapons, defined as semiautomatic rifles and shotguns capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition at once.
The proposal would allow people who already own assault weapons at the time the constitutional amendment goes into effect to keep them if they register the guns with state law enforcement.