Kriseman joins mayors to challenge governor on gun rules

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman has joined 10 mayors from South Florida in a lawsuit that will challenge a law preventing communities from making their own gun regulations.

Kriseman has made it very clear, he doesn’t want what he calls "weapons of war" in his city.

"We would absolutely be taking a look at banning military-style weapons, high-capacity magazines, armor-piercing bullets," Kriseman said.

A 1987 state law bans cities and counties from passing their own gun regulations. In 2011, the law got even tighter, threatening local leaders who try to pass gun regulations with a $5,000 fine and being removed from office by the governor.

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Kriseman said he is joining the other mayors in the lawsuit because he believes state leaders are overstepping their boundaries when it comes to home-rule issues.

"You have to stand up for what's right, and there is clearly an attack on local governance that is going on right now," Kriseman said.

Gov. Rick Scott's office has no comment other than saying that they are reviewing the lawsuit.