93-20964 Reso 4 1
RESOLUTION NO. 93-20964
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING
THE STATE LEGISLATORS WHO REPRESENT MIAMI
BEACH TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION WHICH PROVIDES
FOR MORE SEVERE SANCTIONS FOR JUVENILES WHO
USE FIREARMS DURING COMMISSION OF FELONIES AND
FOR PUNISHMENT FOR PARENTS OF SUCH JUVENILES.
WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature is currently considering
legislation which would provide more severe sanctions for juveniles
who use firearms during commission of felonies and would also
provide for punishment of parents of such juveniles; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami
Beach, Florida are concerned over the high incidence of juvenile
crime and believe that parents of juveniles have a duty to
supervise their children and prevent such use of firearms by
juveniles; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission believe that
legislation strengthening juvenile justice laws relating to use of
firearms in commission of crimes and requiring parental
responsibility for use of firearms by their children would reduce
the incidence of juvenile crime in Miami Beach and other
communities in Florida.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA: that the Mayor and
City Commission urge the State legislators who represent Miami
Beach to support legislation which provides for more severe
sanctions for juveniles who use firearms during commission of
felonies and for punishment for 0 rts of such juveniles.
PASSED and ADOPTED this ' i ay of Nov- ;per , 99 -'.
If ,
ATTEST:
Or MAYOR
eldel4LAk
CITY CLERK
(Requested by Commissioner Martin Shapiro)
FORM APPROVED
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By ec'e
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
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LAURENCE FMNGOLD nc �3�°
CITY ATTORNEY ��2e MIAMI BEACH.FLORIDA 33119-2032
TELEPHONE(305)673-7470
TELECOPY (305)673-7002
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO: 639 - 93
DATE: NOVEMBER 17, 1993
• TO: MAYOR SEYMOUR GELBER
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION
CITY MANAGER ROGER M. C ON 2
FROM: LAURENCE FEINGOLLt.
CITY ATTORNEY
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION SUPPORTING STRICTER SANCTIONS FOR JUVENILE
CRIMES INVOLVING FIREARMS
Commission Martin Shapiro asked the City Attorney's Office to
draft the attached resolution urging the State Legislators who
represent Miami Beach to support legislation which provides for
juveniles who use firearms during commission of a felony to be
tried as adults and also provides for punishment for the parents of
such offenders.
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AGENDA r
ITEM o
DATE I I -1 7-. / 3
1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE- FOURTH FLOOR- MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
Punish
parents of
gun-toters,
House says
Reforms advance
in Tallahassee
a
■CR1ME TAX PROPOSED,le
By TERRY NEAL
Monad Coital Bureau
TALLAHASSEE — it's time
to put the HP, as In parents—
into punishment of kids who
carry and use guns, lawmakers
said on Wednesday.
The House of Representatives
approved a far-reaching reform
bill (H 91-C) that aims to put
teeth in juvenile justice laws that
fail to punish young gunslingers.
The bill got support from every
Democrat and Republican in the
House,passing 1.19-0.
The bill requires that juveniles
who use firearms during the com-
mission of a felony automatically
be prosecuted as adults..And it
allows judges to• keep them
behind bars before trial and pun-
ish more of them with jail time.
But it is the parental punish-
ment concept that is sure to
become the most controversial
feature of the bill. The House
voted to give judges the discre-
tion to make parents of gun-tot-
ing delinquents serve up to 100
hours of community service with
their kids.
The point is simple: The legal
system can't do it alone.It's time
to start making inattentive par-
• ents take some responsibility for
their children.
"The public is demanding
parental responsibility," said
Buzz Ritchie, D-Pensacola.
"We're going to do that."
-- Whether the provisions will
win the approval of the Senate
and the governor is uncertain,
but the extreme nature of the
• proposals is evidence of the fer-
vor in Tallahassee to do some-
thing — even something appar-
ently drastic — to combat
juvenile crime.
Three days into their weeklong
special session, lawmakers say
this is just a start.They vow to go
even further in their regular ses-
sion,which begins in February.
Other provisions of the bill
130
•
Lawmakers: PünisfrpaEentsof .kid
MIS.MOM to aadditional ibouc4Sd�mrllro beds
include Srippostersof tlll acknowledged the
j�,. y.a Wing thaw•fa l ties would o
PuniuldnIPMks minim op bouts provision chat g� but said they anmiurS10 maim a ye.n.
oommmity service and up to one thoug • - hold tip: Conommabort money.loss
year's loss of driver's licenses for
- • .' • d::An some Putii
a first offense. •-• •, ..
were cc
• be eapng the penalty for deters tbebtMtdoos:" . --gun..� (S 1O C) .� bogged Republican* the_mam
adults or firearm dent te/110 sell- • • down in-the-•Appropriations: would came from.
or tine gulls to lads Judges could � 1 i _ _. Committee aAlt'qusstions were "Isn't there something
send them to prison. It sneer Neale appsnent to raised about•ita�ost. could do hoe that accomplish
both aides d atthese would have The bill, sponsored by Sen: the- that doesn't cost
In Creating penalties for adults- to be a compromise.During the Ron Silver, D-North Miami
ararum dealers who sdl juveniles I~' Sen. Jim Soots, R Fc
I shoat debate an. gam J��; is similar.to the-House Laudable.atloed.Silver.•1 .
dangerous. weapons,. such as 1 r= bilL It alb far juveniles aught • Frustessed, Silver •
brass losuddas,Bowie knives and off g its for what with firearms-to be punished a y off
stunilli
W� their kids do, with a minimum et**hours of band uouned mitt
lbw bill includes exemptions "It seems you would be vlolst. community service and six of nitpidcfab. •
fbr juveniles who are using guns ing the civil netts of a parent;" months to one year loss of driv- ."This is..ridiculous," .Sari
far hunting or target practice. said Rep. Ben Graben, D.Coral er's Gaass.....- . said angrily. "They're doe
O
OOP Haab Sponge. Matt
hew alt.there•are some Silver's bill alto culls for stiffer everything not to have a gt
constitutional issues here."T sentences ice-juvsstikes.who have WV'
Democrats and Republicanal Supporters of the bill acmowlw• fdonydevel,conviction and are The House will also have I
cashed over the severity sane- edged the provision might be then.,caught with guns. They, address the money issue-Legisl
Lions far juveniles caught airy- challenged,but saidtbey thoughs woyid;to msveaaedatory-delen- tors acknowledged nobody h:
mg or using guns.The bill orip-. it would bold up. •- - •Lion ease.That amid in=the quite figured out how to-pay fi
Wally only called for juveniles to In the Senate,another juvenile state-would have to build an detention centers for juveniles
be sentenced to community ser-
vice and loss of driver's license. --Republicans said said that was a
"do-nothing" bill. They wanted
tougher sanctions,and offered an
amendment to the bill that would
send a juvenile who used a fire-
- arm in the commission of a crime
and who had already had three
felony convictions to adult court.
But some Democrats argued
that wasn't the answer. They
cited these facts:5,000 juveniles•
were sent to adult court last year
and waited an average of eight
months for trial and then only
one-fifth got any jail time.
Doug Jameson, D-St. Peters-
burg; said there was another
problem with the Republican
plan:"I don't want to put stupid -
juveniles in jail and send a mur-
•
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131
CITX OF MIAMI BEACH
TO: ROGER CARLTON
CITY MANAGER r
LARRY FEINGOLD
CITY ATTORNEY
•
FROM: MARTIN SHAPIRO
COMMISSIONER c^
O
m
DATE: NOVEMBER 5, 1993
RE: AGENDA ITEM
Per the attached article in the Miami Herald, the state legislature
is considering laws that will require juveniles who use a gun in
the commission of a felony to be prosecuted as adults and will also
punish parents whose children carry or use guns.
Our City Commission should consider a resolution directed to our
state legislators in support of these proposals.
Please prepare a resolution for the next Commission meeting.
Thank you for your cooperation in handling this matter.
MS/cm
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