TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Two corresponding gun safety bills filed in the Florida House and Senate in response to the Pulse shooting were withdrawn Monday as the session comes to an end.
The indefinite postponement eliminates any chance this session for changes to Florida gun safety laws after 49 people were killed at Pulse on June 12, 2016.
The Senate bill introduced by Sen. Linda Stewart (District 13) aimed to curb gun violence by banning the sale of civilian versions of military-grade assault rifles and ammunition in Florida.
Stewart and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (District 49) filed the bill in January while they were in Orlando, calling the legislation a promise to the families, victims and survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting.
"We're not taking anybody's guns away, and we're not infringing on anybody's right to hunt or protect themselves in their home," Smith said.
Co-sponsor Sen. Gary Farmer (District 34) said in a news release that if the ban had been in place, it would have stopped Omar Mateen from purchasing the weapons he used to kill 49 people and injuring 53 others last June.
The bill also said that anyone who possessed the banned weapons or ammunition could face criminal charges. The ban would not apply to guns previously purchased in Florida.
Florida legislators are poised to approve roughly $83 billion in spending for the coming year before officially ending their session.
The Florida Legislature will vote Monday on a new budget and several related bills.
The session was supposed to end last week, but legislative leaders didn't reach an agreement on a new budget in time. State law requires the budget to be finished 72 hours before a final vote.
Legislators also are expected to vote for bills tied to the budget that make sweeping changes to public schools and Florida's colleges and universities.
While the session is supposed to end Monday, legislators might have to come back because Gov. Rick Scott could veto the entire budget. He has criticized legislators for ignoring some of his top priorities.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.