The Florida Senate passed a bill Thursday to expand the state's "stand your ground" law to place more burden on prosecutors to prove self-defense wasn't a factor when charging someone with assaulting or killing another person.

The Senate voted 24-12 for the bill on Thursday. If it becomes law, the prosecution would have to prove at a pretrial hearing that a defendant invoking stand your ground wasn't acting in self-defense. Right now the burden of proof is on the defendant.

The Senate also unanimously passed two gun bills. One would outlaw firing a gun in densely populated areas. The other would give judges flexibility in sentencing people for aggravated assault while possessing a gun rather than being forced to issue at least a 10-year sentence.

The House still has to take up the bill.

FL House to take up open carry

A bill allowing licensed gun owners in Florida to openly carry in public is heading to the House floor.

The Judiciary Committee approved Rep. Matt Gaetz's bill Thursday after nearly two hours of debate. The Fort Walton Beach Republican added an amendment that loaded or unloaded guns openly carried have to be holstered.

Rep. Dave Kerner proposed an amendment that would have not allowed open carry and only protect people with concealed weapons permits who display their guns accidentally, but it was voted down. The Florida Sheriff's Association supported Kerner's amendment.

The National Rifle Association and Florida Police Chiefs Association supported Gaetz's amendment and the bill.

Florida is currently one of five states that don't allow people to openly carry guns in some form. The others are South Carolina, New York, Illinois and California.

So far, however, the Florida Senate has declined to vote on the measure.

Death penalty a hot topic

Florida legislators grappling with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision are promising to keep the death penalty in the state.

A top Senate Republican vowed Wednesday that legislators would pass a bill in the next few weeks to comply with a ruling from the nation's highest court. The court earlier this month found that Florida's death penalty procedure is flawed because it allows judges, not juries, to decide death sentences.

Sen. Greg Evers said one sure change is that legislators will change the number of jurors who must agree to recommend the death penalty.

Currently Florida only requires a simple majority of jurors to recommend the death penalty to the judge. Evers said legislators may require a supermajority or a unanimous verdict.

Judges and prosecutors are delaying death penalty cases in the state due to the uncertain legal situation.

School districts may get to use alternative tests

Florida's public schools may get to use alternative tests such as the SAT and ACT for their yearly tests.

A Senate panel voted Tuesday for a bill that would give school districts the option of switching from the Florida Standards Assessment to other standardized tests.

The FSA was first administered last spring and replaced the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. It's based on a new set of school standards that are linked to the national standards called Common Core that some parents oppose.

Sen. Don Gaetz says he sponsored the bill (SB 1360) to offer schools and parents a choice from the current test.

But Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has already questioned the proposal. Stewart has said college admission tests such as the SAT and ACT are not aligned to Florida's standards.

Bill to protect those who rescue people, pets from cars goes to Gov. Scott

A bill now on its way to the governor's desk would make rescuing pets or people by picking a car lock or smashing a car window would be legal.

The Florida Senate passed the bill with a unanimous vote Thursday.

If the governor signs it as expected, anyone would be allowed to break into a car if it's clear a someone's -- or some pet's -- life is in danger.

The good Samaritan would have to first notify law enforcement, but after that point they'd have legal immunity.

The bill's supporters say it's long overdue, especially in a state like Florida, where the heat index regularly soars into the triple digits.

Another bill in the legislature would also make it a crime to level pets locked in a car under certain conditions -- including extreme weather conditions.