By Marion Hammer
Flordia – -(Ammoland.com)- HB-39 by Rep. Dane Eagle was heard in the House Criminal Justice Sub-Committee on Monday, January 29, 2018, and PASSED by a vote of 9-4.
HB-39 is a bill to stop the abuse of law-abiding citizens who are licensed by the State to carry concealed firearms for self-defense and whose firearm becomes temporarily exposed to ordinary sight of another person.
Once again NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s group calling themselves “Mom’s Demand Action” were present and this time represented by Jami Ito of Tallahassee.
Either Ms. Ito had not read the bill and was simply reading testimony someone prepared for her or she attempted to mislead the Committee with erroneous statements claiming, “This bill is a dangerous proposal which legalizes the open carry of handguns in Florida.”
While we wish that is what the bill does, it clearly does not.
Ms. Ito’s testimony contained so much false information that Rep. Dane Eagle had to use his closing statement on the bill to correct the record and rebut Ms. Ito’s testimony.
VOTING FOR THE BILL: Committee Chairman Ross Spano (R) Representatives Thad Altman (R), Dane Eagle (R), Julio Gonzalez (R), Bill Hager (R), Gayle Harrell (R), Chris Latvala (R), Jennifer Sullivan (R), Clay Yarborough (R)
VOTING AGAINST THE BILL: [no surprise all Democrats..]
- Representatives Ramon Alexander (D)
- Sharon Pritchett (D)
- David Richardson (D)
- Emily Slosberg (D)
The bill next goes to the House Judiciary Committee.
Background:
This is not an Open Carry Bill. This bill has nothing to do with carrying openly or brandishing.
This bill is about stopping the abuse of law-abiding citizens who are licensed by the State to carry concealed firearms for self-defense.
A license holder whose firearm becomes temporarily and openly displayed to the ordinary sight of another person is not a criminal, and this innocent act should not be a crime.
In Florida, there are 1.8 million law-abiding license holders
Every time a law-abiding person – licensed by the state to carry for protection leaves his or her home, legally carrying a firearm – EVERYTIME – they run the risk of that firearm becoming exposed to the sight of another person and then being treated like a criminal.
This bill stops anti-gun law enforcement officers and anti-gun prosecutors from abusing law-abiding license holders for temporary exposure of a concealed firearm. In short, it stops them from criminalizing the exercise of a constitutional right.
As a 36 year resident of Florida who has carried legally since it was first offered, I applaud the state’s initiative to rectify what has become a horrible nightmare for some residents. Although I have never had an “incident” of potentially showing a weapon by mistake, it is ALWAYS just one wrong move away at the wrong time. Concentrating on preventing an accidental visual adds considerable pressure to a concealed weapons holder here — although I have never met any LEO who is unfriendly to properly licensed holders. I would expect this bill to pass.
Another “state”, whatever that is, that doesn’t recognize the basic right of human self defense unless you grovel before the agents of that “state” and pay them a fee for a “license” IE “permit” to carry the weapon for self defense concealed. Typical “who cares what the 2nd amendment says” mentality of so many “state”, whatever that is, legislatures who feel their vaunted view of our “rights” is predetermined what “they” say rather then being written in the stone of common sense. Sorry “Florida”, whatever that is, I was within “your” borders for a whole two weeks without a permit,… Read more »
Deja vu
Another “state”, whatever that is, that doesn’t recognize the basic right of human self defense unless you grovel before the agents of that “state” and pay them a fee for a “license” IE “permit” to carry the weapon for self defense concealed. Typical “who cares what the 2nd amendment says” mentality of so many “state”, whatever that is, legislatures who feel their vaunted view of our “rights” is predetermined what “they” say rather then being written in the stone of common sense. Sorry “Florida”, whatever that is, I was within “your” borders for a whole two weeks without a permit,… Read more »
“… next goes to the House Judiciary committee…” where it will be killed by a RINO.
FIFY