Democratic legislators

push for guncontrol measures after last week’s fatal shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport.

TALLAHASSEE — Democratic legislators continue to press for more gun control measures in the wake of last week’s shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport.

Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, said Tuesday he plans to file a bill to require background checks for sales of firearms at gun shows.

“Last week, horror came to our state and to the Fort Lauderdale airport,” he said. “That horror came in the form of a deranged man who should’ve never been allowed to buy, own or in any way possess a dangerous firearm.”

Farmer’s bill comes on the heels of a bill filed last week by Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, that would ban the sale of assault weapons.

Democrats admit the bills have little chance of passing in the Republican-controlled Legislature, but say it’s important to put forward an alternative to the legislation favored by the GOP that relaxes gun restrictions.

Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, is sponsoring a bill to let concealed carry permit holders carry guns on college campuses, in airport terminals and government meetings. Those with concealed carry permits would also be allowed to carry openly in the state under the bill.

Pro-gun control groups have been galvanized by the shootings at the Pulse nightclub and the Fort Lauderdale airport. Groups with the Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, a collection of organizations that formed after the Pulse massacre, were on hand to back Farmer’s bill.

“The lives of our children are being gambled with,” said Cindy Gerhart, president of the Florida Parent-Teacher Association.