Palm Beach County may challenge Florida gun law penalties

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Palm Beach County may challenge Florida gun law penalties

By Jennifer Sorentrue Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 11:57 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, Posted: 5:43 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011

WEST PALM BEACH — Palm Beach County commissioners are expected to decide today whether to challenge the penalties of a new state law that forces local governments to repeal regulations on guns and ammunition.

County Attorney Denise Nieman said Monday her office is prepared to file suit challenging the new law, which says local officials who violate the gun requirements can be held personally liable for civil fines up to $5,000 and possibly be removed from office.

The county, however, cannot challenge the provision that forces local governments to repeal gun regulations, Nieman said.

As a result of the state requirement, county commissioners this summer were forced to repeal seven local gun rules that had been on the books for years, including a rule that prevented people from bringing guns into child-care centers and a provision that barred the people from firing their guns east of 20-Mile Bend.

The county also recently changed its policy banning firearms from the downtown government center. Gun owners with a concealed weapons permit are now allowed to bring their weapons into the building.