Gov. Scott won't ban guns at RNC

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TAMPA, Fla., May 2 (UPI) -- Florida Gov. Rick Scott turned down Tampa's request to ban concealed weapons outside of the Republican National Convention in August.

Mayor Bob Buckhorn wrote to Scott Tuesday, asking that the governor issue an executive order to bar the carrying of firearms in downtown Tampa during the convention, the Tampa Bay Times reported Wednesday.

In a response, also on Tuesday, Scott suggests that Tampa mayor was overreaching in his request because the U.S. Secret Service will ban firearms inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum and inside a security perimeter immediately around the convention site.

"You are now requesting that citizens be disarmed in all of downtown Tampa, including in areas across the river, and distant, from the convention center and Secret Service safe zone," Scott wrote.

Tampa officials plan to ban many weapons and items that could be a weapon from outside the Aug. 27-30 convention, but can't ban guns carried with a concealed weapons permit, the Times said.

In his letter to Scott, Buckhorn said Florida's firearms laws do not allow anyone with a concealed weapon permit to take a gun into certain venues, such as athletic events, polling places and legislative meetings.

"An event like the RNC may not have been contemplated at the time these statutes were enacted, but the city strongly believes that the RNC meets the spirit of the exemptions," Buckhorn said.