Florida now one step closer to legalizing open carry

[STITCH]

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110315/BREAKINGNEWS/110315002/-Florida-s-open-carry-gun-bill-clears-another-hurdle?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Local%20News

:up::D:up:
(From Link)
"The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 10-3 for the proposal by Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, over the objections of law-enforcement lobbyists and representatives of retail merchants. Dorworth said his bill is only intended to protect licensed concealed-weapons carriers who inadvertently show their weapons.


Marion Hammer, the veteran lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said there have been several prosecutions of law-abiding gun owners for "brandishing" their weapons by accidentally letting them show in public. She and Dorworth said 43 states allow open carry of guns by concealed-weapons license holders, but very few people choose to do so.


"It's not about strapping guns on your hips and walking around," said Hammer. "I don't know anybody who wants to do that."


Randy Miller of the Florida Retail Federation and Maj. T.J. Feeney of the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Department urged the committee to leave the existing concealed-weapons law alone. Feeney said that if people are wearing firearms openly, a police officer will naturally focus on them at any crime scene whether or not they are the cause of an emergency. Miller said shop keepers don't want to ask law-abiding customers to leave their guns outside, or tell "squeamish" customers not to worry about another patron who is packing a gun.


Miller said merchants know some of their customers are carrying concealed weapons, and nobody worries about it because they don't know if the guns are out of sight.

"It's don't ask, don't tell," said Miller. "We don't want to do anything to offend our customers."


The Senate Criminal Justice Committee approved a companion bill (SB 234) on Monday afternoon. Dorworth said he conformed his bill (HB 517) to the Senate version, which does not permit weapons -- concealed or not -- on college campuses.


Dorworth's bill now goes to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee and the House Judiciary Committee before reaching the House floor."

[LunkerBuster]

i cant decide how I feel about this...i like the liberty aspect and I hate the idea of criminals carrying guns with more impunity.

no question that seeing more guns desensitizes and then the wrong people are carrying guns without causing alarm

[Marcus]

I'd much rather see a possible threat coming than have someone catch me off guard, get near me, and then pull out a hidden weapon.

[STITCH]

The way I look at it; it's one less thing I have to worry about. I'm aways cautious when carrying, but I've "been made" twice. No one freaked out, but it was brought up. The problem with the current law is that if the weapon shows unintentionally, you can be busted for brandishing (I think). And with too many "I wouldn't think an officer would arrest someone" type statements from sheriffs; I'd rather be certain, than have to assume a cop would do the right thing. Not to mention it can be very difficult to properly conceal a firearm here in Florida; the standard Florida uniform (T-shirt & flops) leaves little in the means of concealment.

The "norm" seems to be that most states allow it. Everyone cried blood in the streets in 87 when the concealed carry law was passed, then again in 08 when the castle doctrine was extended to not only your home but your person and your car.

http://opencarry.org/opencarry.html

[FOWLER267]

Kentucky has had open carry for some time and I actually see very few people take advantage of it. I would guess about .01% compared to concealed.

[LunkerBuster]

good points all...I think I lean in favor of it. better to have an educated responsible gun owner toting than anyone else an this makes it easier for the good guys to carry, so good move

[Guido4198]

".......i like the liberty aspect and I hate the idea of criminals carrying guns with more impunity."

Perhaps you're not aware that criminals are prohibited from carrying a gun openly or concealed.??

[Aaron Proffitt+]

My only point ? Regardless of how stupid it sounds.... when I'm out hunting ; I get tired of making sure my jacket / shirt conceals my sidearm when I move from place to place . Or even putting something on to conceal my firearm. I get tired of the fact that even though I can legally carry concealed anywhere in the nation I want, I better make sure the locals don't see my gun 'flash' .

[Aaron Proffitt+]

i cant decide how I feel about this...i like the liberty aspect and I hate the idea of criminals carrying guns with more impunity.



Most convicted criminals can't legally carry a gun in any manner.

[yakfisher]

Criminals are still going to carry concealed regardless of open carry laws.

[Wayward Son]

facing charges if the gun is seen is just a pain in the ass. something as simple as reaching for an item on a high shelf in a store can cause your jacket to ride up & allow the gun to be seen. It just seem unreasonable that a person should have to worry about being prosecuted for something so simple when they're perfectly legal to have the gun & have done nothing wrong.

[Aaron Proffitt+]

facing charges if the gun is seen is just a pain in the ass. Something as simple as reaching for an item on a high shelf in a store can cause your jacket to ride up & allow the gun to be seen. It just seem reasonable that a person should have to worry about being prosecuted for something so simple when they're perfectly legal to have the gun & have done nothing wrong.

exactly !!!!!

[jackpine savage]

facing charges if the gun is seen is just a pain in the ass. something as simple as reaching for an item on a high shelf in a store can cause your jacket to ride up & allow the gun to be seen. It just seem unreasonable that a person should have to worry about being prosecuted for something so simple when they're perfectly legal to have the gun & have done nothing wrong.

:stupid:A very common sense post.

[Aaron Proffitt+]

:stupid:A very common sense post.

Well done,Steve.

[Guido4198]

The point of this legislation is simple common sense. Those who opposed the current concealed carry law are most likely opposing this too. Despite the fact that NONE of their dire predictions of mass shootings of innocent people have come to pass.

[STITCH]

Any one know when the senate will vote on this?

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/open-carry-bill-heads-senate-floor

"Open carry" bill heads to Senate floor
Senators on Friday gave the final committee nod to a proposal that allows concealed weapons permit holders to carry their guns openly.

"The Senate Rules Committee, led by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, passed SB 234 by a vote of 8-4, with Republican Sen. Dennis Jones of Seminole breaking from party lines. Its sponsor, Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, says the intention is to protect people who accidentally expose their weapons via strong winds that lift up shirts or holes in pockets."

[H2O ADDICTION]

In some state's open carry is the ONLY way to carry legally - Getting busted for your piece being visible in a concealed carry state make no sense at all...Do they ticket you for "brandishing" or what?

Soon I'll be applying for and taking a CCW class. I certainly don't need to be ticketed or worse because someone catches a glimpse of my firearm. Maybe I'll just wear a "fag bag" (gun carrying fanny pack) everywhere I go - NOT.

[Bulit7]

Lets hope it passess.

[yeskaa]

are these guns allowed to be loaded? loaded or not it seems like a good way to get your gun jacked walking around showing it off.

[STITCH]

In some state's open carry is the ONLY way to carry legally - Getting busted for your piece being visible in a concealed carry state make no sense at all...Do they ticket you for "brandishing" or what?

Soon I'll be applying for and taking a CCW class. I certainly don't need to be ticketed or worse because someone catches a glimpse of my firearm. Maybe I'll just wear a "fag bag" (gun carrying fanny pack) everywhere I go - NOT.

LEO can arrest you for brandishing under the current law. My instructor said that if you are ever "made" or have to draw your weapon; you should call the nonemergency line and have an officer meet up with you, so you can document it. The calling LEO if you have to draw is sort of a no brainer. The calling if you've been "made" basically helps LEO / dispatch know what is going on. For instance; you are in wally world buying item X on the bottom shelf, you bend over and someone sees your weapon. They gasp or something else of that nature, letting you know they saw your weapon. Now said person may or may not call the police to state they saw a man with a gun. By reporting the incident you would have let LEO know about it and hopefully keep them from wasting time rushing to the scene. They will probably still come to see you, but it wont be in a blind rush to arrest you. Make sense?

are these guns allowed to be loaded? loaded or not it seems like a good way to get your gun jacked walking around showing it off.

Yes. Unloaded weapons will get you killed. I don't think that will be an issue. Many states already have an open carry law. I've never read a report of a licensed CCW holder being "relieved" of their weapon by a perp. Now, if someone is carrying, but wont pull the trigger, then all bets are off; and they shouldn't have been carrying in the first place. There are holsters out there that have a release mechanism that must be activated in order to draw the firearm. Police use them around here. It prevents a bad guy from pulling the LEO's weapon in the event they are rolling around on the ground or what not. It would be pretty stupid for an unarmed assailant to try to disarm someone carrying in this fashion. Sounds like a good way to get shot to me.

[JuJuMan16]

Any one know when the senate will vote on this?

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/open-carry-bill-heads-senate-floor

"Open carry" bill heads to Senate floor
Senators on Friday gave the final committee nod to a proposal that allows concealed weapons permit holders to carry their guns openly.

"The Senate Rules Committee, led by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, passed SB 234 by a vote of 8-4, with Republican Sen. Dennis Jones of Seminole breaking from party lines. Its sponsor, Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, says the intention is to protect people who accidentally expose their weapons via strong winds that lift up shirts or holes in pockets."

In case you want to follow it.

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=44867

[STITCH]

Right on. Thanks.

[locapitano]

I hope this passes!

I think the most important part of this bill is the fact that you wont get thrown in jail or lose your weapon for having it accidentally showing.. I've never been made in public but my girl has pointed out a couple times when the grip peaks out from under my shirt in public...

I highly doubt very many people at all would want to walk around with their weapon openly exposed.

In all honesty I don't want anyone to know I'm carrying!

[STITCH]

Status as of 5/3/11: "Laid on Table"

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=45327&SessionIndex=-1&SessionId=66&BillText=&BillNumber=517&BillSponsorIndex=0&BillListIndex=0&BillStatuteText=&BillTypeIndex=0&BillReferredIndex=0&HouseChamber=H&BillSearchIndex=0

I don't know the processes or their terminology so, could someone explain what "laid on table" means and what the next step is? Does this mean it's on the governors' table ready to be signed into law?

[locapitano]

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21004223476811/

It was passed!

[Robert D.]

I believe you still have to conceal. This bill protects only accidental exposure.

[locapitano]

Absolutely correct! In my opinion that's better than open carry.

And its not officially legal to have accidental exposures until its officially signed in to law.

[STITCH]

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21004223476811/

It was passed!

Almost. It appears that the table referenced in "laid on table" is the Governors. Any word regarding when he is going to sign on the dotted line?

[mepps1]

Seems like a lot of anguish over nothing. Most western states have had legal open carry for years. Nobody shoots it out over parking spots, concert tickets, or rude gestures.

We're still one up on ya. In WY, it's always been legal to carry concealed in a car or, surprisingly- in a purse, without a CC permit. Now it's legal period, as of this June, I think. No permit.:thumps:

I will still probably renew my CCP when it comes up. Mainly for out-of-state reciprocity.

Now maybe all the liberals will stay out of state, since it's so dangerous, and all.:rolleyes: It's got to be much safer in CO, these days.:lol:

[locapitano]

In Florida its legal to have it in your car with no permit so long as its "not immediately accessible"


If you go to a no permit to carry state you might loose reciprocity with certain states. Make sure you look that up before you conceal in other states.

Stitch I have no idea but hopefully soon!