Report: Florida “red flag” law resulted in 1,443 petitions filed to confiscate firearms

1,443 petitions for temporary ex-parte risk protection orders were filed across 54 Florida counties from March 2018 through February 2019, according to a report obtained by County Examiner.

Prepared by the Florida Office of State Court Administrators the document reveals Broward, Polk and Pinellas law enforcement topped the list of counties reporting the filing of temporary firearm confiscation orders for the above-mentioned period; 251, 248, and 202 respectively. Thirteen Florida counties presumably filed zero firearm confiscation orders.

While a footnote specifies the statistics were provided to OSCA by each Clerk of the Court and have not been audited for accuracy, examining the number of motions filed to extend the ban on firearm possession to one year raises additional questions about the origins and motivations for the temporary ERPO filing in the first place.

For example, Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Courts reported 88 petitions for temporary firearm confiscations and extended a one-year ban on firearm possession in 43 of those situations. Does a one-year ban on firearm ownership meet the definition of “temporary”?

Meanwhile the OSCA report reveals Broward, Polk and Pinellas law enforcement, who together presumably filed 701 temporary firearm confiscation orders, ultimately filed ZERO motions to extend the firearm ownership ban to one year. Does that equate to successfully stopping a person before something bad happens?

You can view the OSCA report here.

County Examiner previously reported on a brief filed in Florida’s Second District Court of Appeals challenging several provisions of Florida’s gun confiscation act, most notably due process concerns, allowing admission of hearsay evidence and the unlawful delegation of prosecutorial authority to law enforcement in violation of the Florida Constitution.

You can view the court docket here.

Desoto County officials briefed on Florida’s’ hepatitis A outbreak

Employees of the Florida Department of Health briefed the Desoto County Board of Commissioners on the current hepatitis A outbreak in the state, emphasizing the best preventative measure is vaccination.

According to public documents reviewed by County Examiner, during the May 14, 2019 BOC meeting Penny Pringle, Assistant County Health Department Director and Patrick Hickey, Epidemiologist with the Florida Department of Health gave a short presentation on the nature of the disease and how the illness progresses.

The Florida Department of Health continues to publish the number and percentage of reported hepatitis A cases on their website.

“From January 1, 2018 through June 15, 2019, 2109 hepatitis A cases were reported.”

The number of reported hepatitis A cases more than doubled from 2016 to 2017 and nearly doubled again in 2018 after remaining relatively stable in previous years. Case counts in 2019 have already surpassed those in 2018.”

A map published on the Florida Department of Health website reveals Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando Counties have the highest cumulative rate per 100,000 population, followed by numerous counties across the Central Florida region.

The Hepatitis A Surveillance report dated May 2019 disclosed in that month the incidence rate was highest among adults aged 30-39 years old at 4.9 cases per 100,000 population. Since January 1, 2018, cases were reported primarily among men (66%) and persons who identify as non-Hispanic white (92%).

Nationwide

“Hepatitis A rates have decreased by more than 95% since the first vaccine became available in 1995. However, since March of 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been monitoring outbreaks in 15 states among persons who use drugs and persons who are experiencing homelessness. Kentucky and West Virginia have been the most heavily impacted, and response efforts are ongoing.”

Florida response

“Several Florida counties have experienced ongoing local transmission of hepatitis A since 2017. Since January 1, 2018, 98% of Florida’s cases (n=1,876) have likely been acquired in Florida. Cases likely acquired in Florida share several common risk factors including drug use (both injection and non-injection drugs), identifying as men who have sex with men, and recently experiencing homelessness. Individuals with any of these risk factors should receive the hepatitis A vaccine, and health care providers are encouraged to actively offer the hepatitis A vaccine to individuals at risk. Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A infection.”