FL Sen. Bogdanoff Files Open Carry Crippling Amendment AGAIN

FL Sen. Bogdanoff Files Open Carry Crippling Amendment AGAIN – SB 234

Florida –-(Ammoland.com)- If you have been keeping track of SB 234, you’ll remember that Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Fort Lauderdale) introduced an amendment to the Senate Judiciary Committee that would have stripped out the open carry provision of the bill in favor of subjective language that would exempt inadvertent exposure of one’s firearm as punishable under law.

Realizing she didn’t have the votes necessary to get the amendment adopted, Sen. Bogdanoff withdrew the amendment.

On the eve of the floor vote of SB 234, Sen. Bogdanoff has again introduced the exact same language as a floor amendment.

The amendment only addresses inadvertent exposure, and does nothing to improve other situations in which general open carry is the only solution. For example, the amendment would not legalize open carry when hiking, when entering or exiting a vehicle, when on any private property other than one’s own residence or place of business. Most troubling is the fact that the determination of what is “inadvertent” would remain in the hands of law enforcement.

The Florida Sheriffs Association is walking the halls of the Senate, lobbying heavily against the bill, saying that they cannot find any prosecutions on the books concerning accidental exposure. This is a small consolation to those who have been detained for hours, disarmed, handcuffed, proned out, held at gunpoint, and booked, only to be released when the State Attorney or District Attorney found no crime with which to pursue prosecution.

In fact, just last week, an individual was “printing” in a Hillsborough county restaurant and a patron called in a “suspicious person” call. The individual was pulled over by four HCSO cruisers after leaving the restaurant, and was removed from the vehicle, disarmed, handcuffed, and detained while sitting on the curb AFTER PROVIDING HIS CWFL for over a half-hour.

During this time, he was subjected to leading questions like, “What war are you preparing for?” and “Why do you feel you need to carry a firearm?” He was told that the only reason he was being released rather than transported was because the caller incorrectly stated the firearm bulge was on his right side, and his firearm was on his left side.

This is exactly the type of situation open carry would eliminate. Imagine what would have happened had he had his children with him in the vehicle at the time?

Please take the time to contact the Senators below, and ask them to reject the amendment and vote on the bill based on its merits.

Feel free to use the e-mail helper below, and thank you again for your solid support.
E-mail Helper (feel free to cut, copy, paste, and edit to suit)

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SUBJECT:

Reject Sen. Bogdanoff’s amendment on SB 234

Dear Senator,

Senator Bogdanoff has introduced a floor amendment to SB 234 that would cripple the bill’s multiple purpose. This amendment was originally proposed to the Judiciary Committee, and was subsequently withdrawn due to lack of support.

I urge you to reject Sen. Bogdanoff’s amendment as it does not address any rationale for open carry other than inadvertent exposure. A licensed carrier would still be prohibited from carrying openly while hiking, while entering or exiting a vehicle, while visiting a neighbor’s property despite their permission, and any other appropriate situation. Lacking a firm definition of what is “inadvertent”, it also places that subjective determination in the hands of law enforcement, whose administration is set against any expansion of 2nd Amendment rights.

Please vote favorably on the bill as it is written and resist the temptation to take the easy way out by watering down its effectiveness. Your response to this bill is without a doubt a direct reflection on your view of the 1.95 million past and present law-abiding and responsible licenseholders.

Respectfully yours,

About: Florida Open Carry is a grass roots movement of Florida residents who endeavor to raise awareness in the community of our second amendment civil rights. Our primary goal is to help educate others about their right to legally open carry and advocate for repeal of the general ban on open carry in Florida. Florida is one of only seven (7) states where open carry is generally prohibited.

Florida Open Carry
www.Open-Carry.org
Phone: 850-270-7486
Fax: 678-359-9816