Resolution No. 2016-63 Supporting Assault Weapons Ban - October 10, 2016 RESOLUTION NO. 2016-63
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AVENTURA,
FLORIDA, CALLING UPON FEDERAL AND STATE-ELECTED OFFICIALS TO
COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO
PREVENT MASS SHOOTINGS AND LARGE-SCALE HUMAN LOSS OF LIFE
AND SUFFERING FROM MASS SHOOTINGS IN AMERICA BY LIMITING THE
AVAILABLITY AND USE OF MILITARY GRADE, HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINE
ASSAULT WEAPONS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES; PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the confluence of the Internet, international and lone wolf domestic terrorism,.
underfunded community mental health programs, and easy access to military grade, high capacity
magazine assault weapons has created circumstances which have led to an unprecedented
number of mass shootings in communities in this state and around the country in recent years;
and
WHEREAS, in recent years, mass shootings involving military grade-high capacity
magazine assault weapons have occurred with alarming regularity; and
WHEREAS, the military scaled weaponry used in these mass shootings exceeds the
weaponry generally available to local law enforcement officers, which puts those officers, together
with their communities and safe gathering places where community life is enjoyed, in great and
unnecessary peril; and
WHEREAS, military grade, high capacity magazine assault weapons and the grave
hazard they present to communities and innocent citizens have no valid role to serve in community
and civilian life and are even disavowed by most reputable pro-hunting organizations; and
WHEREAS, as indicated through national surveys, a majority of the American public,
including legal gun owners, support extensive background checks for gun ownership and limiting
the availability and use of military grade, high capacity magazine assault weapons to bona-fide
and highly trained law enforcement agencies: and
WHEREAS,the United States Senate, following the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando,
Florida voted on, but was unable to pass. a proposal to update the background check system for
gun purchases, which would have required states to add more information on mental health
records to a national database, and which also included a provision to alert law enforcement
agencies when an individual who was on a government terror watch list in the last five years buys
a gun: and
City of Aventura Resolution No. 2016-63
WHEREAS,the United States Senate, following the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando,
Florida voted on, but was unable to pass, a proposal to expand the background check system for
those buying guns to require checks at gun shows and for online purchases; and
WHEREAS, the United States Senate, following the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando,
Florida voted on, but was unable to pass, a proposal to delay gun sales to individuals included on
a government terror watch list, which would also allow a judge to permanently block a purchase
if the court determined with probable cause that the individual is involved in terrorist activity; and
WHEREAS, the United States Senate,following the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando,
Florida voted on, but was unable to pass, a proposal that sought to bar all gun sales to those
individuals on the terror watch list; and
WHEREAS, gun violence is a pervasive, national problem that is exacerbated by the
availability of semi-automatic assault weapons at gun shows, flea markets, and other organized
events; and
WHEREAS, the drafters of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution
never envisioned automatic or semi-automatic weapons when the right to bear arms was first
conceived; and
WHEREAS, one of the principal goals of the United States Constitution, as set forth in its
preamble, is "to insure domestic tranquility"; and
WHEREAS, the proliferation of automatic and semi-automatic weapons, as well as high
capacity ammunition devices and magazines, presents a growing problem to law enforcement
and to this nation's domestic tranquility; and
WHEREAS, over 5,000 gun shows are held annually across the United States, attracting
thousands of attendees per show and hundreds of Federal firearms licensees and non-licensed
vendors; and
WHEREAS, gun shows, as well as flea markets and other organized events at which a
large number of firearms are offered for sale by federal firearms licensees and non-licensed
vendors, form a significant part of the national firearms market; and
WHEREAS, at gun shows, flea markets, and other organized events at which guns are
exhibited or offered for sale or exchange, criminals and others prohibited from owning firearms
obtain guns without background checks and frequently use guns, whose ownership cannot be
traced, to later commit crimes; and
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City of Aventura Resolution No. 2016-63
WHEREAS, the Florida and United States legislatures have the authority to require. by
statute. that any non-licensed vendors be required to conduct the same background check of the
purchaser as currently required for licensed vendors; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission hereby provides that lawful hand guns are not included
within the scope of the action requested by this Resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AVENTURA, FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1. The elected Federal and State Legislative and Executive officials are called
upon to support safe communities and heed the requests of our City to enhance the safety of our
community and our many gathering places by supporting the desires of a majority of the American
public to strictly limit the availability and use of military grade, high capacity assault weapons to
bona fide law enforcement agencies and to do so with the sense of urgency and commitment
which is warranted in the face of the ongoing, tragic, and unnecessary loss of life triggered by
mass shootings with high powered, military grade, high capacity magazine assault weapons.
Section 2. The U.S. Congress is urged to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban.
Section 3. The Florida Legislature is urged to enact a state ban on assault weapons.
Section 4. Alternatively, the Florida Legislature is urged to lift the preemption presently
in place in order to allow local governments to impose an assault weapons ban.
Section 5. The City Clerk's office is directed to transmit a copy of this resolution to our
state, federal, and other local elected officials.
Section 6. This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon adoption hereof.
The foregoing Resolution was offered by Commissioner Weinberg, who moved its
adoption. This motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Landman, and upon being put to a vote, the
vote was as follows:
Commissioner Teri Holzberg Yes
Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks Yes
Commissioner Marc Narotsky No
Commissioner Robert Shelley Yes
Commissioner Howard Weinberg Yes
Vice Mayor Denise Landman Yes
Mayor Enid Weisman Yes
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City of Aventura Resolution No. 2016-63
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 10th day of October, 2016.
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ENID WEISMAN, MAYOR
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ATTEST:
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ELLISA L. HORVAT C
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
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CITY ATTORNEY
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