Tagged: Chris Smith

Results from a Quinnipiac University poll last month show Florida voters like the idea of universal background checks for gun buyers.

They also like the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law.

Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, isn't surprised by either of those results.

Education, voting reform, property insurance, and political transparency were among the topics covered during Monday night's Town Hall event on Session 2013 of the Florida Legislature hosted by WLRN and the Miami Herald.  The second annual forum marks the beginning of WLRN's coverage of Session 2013, which convenes March 5 and continues through May 3.

Tallahassee may be hundreds of miles away, but WLRN and The Miami Herald will bring it to you. 

Picking a fight with the gun lobby and legislative Republicans, State Sen. Chris Smith (D-Ft. Lauderdale) has introduced a bill that would substantially reduce the protections Florida's stand-your-ground law offers to armed citizens.

The law -- controversial because of its application in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin this year by a neighborhood watch volunteer -- allows the use of deadly force by someone who feels threatened. It also prevents police from arresting stand-your-ground shooters in many cases.