Here is exactly how bad laws come about.

The new law has nothing to do with folks who want to strap their gun on their hip… (that’s for law enforcement)

The new law is about protecting the innocent abiding citizens licensed to carry a concealed weapon who bend down and accidentally afford the public to get a glimpse of the weapon they lawfully carry.

Here come in stupid law enforcement and prosecutors. The person gets arrested by some mall cop with an Alaska temperature IQ. Some intake attorney, who forgot to use her common sense instead of systematically and unreasonably  applying the law, files the garbage case. The poor fellow has then no other choice but to either get his case tried or to plea to some serious charge…(no comment from me on jury trials).

Now comes the legislature, telling law enforcement the following: Since you are too stupid to use common sense in failing to realize that a firearm accidentally exposed by someone licensed to carry it, is not brandished (as brandishing has a “willful” component), we have no choice but to protect the public against your nonsensical imbecility.

And guess who are the morons who are objecting to the law?

BILL COTTERELL
FLORIDA TODAY CAPITAL BUREAU

TALLAHASSEE -- A bill allowing gun owners with concealed-weapons permits to carry their firearms openly cleared its second legislative hurdle in less than 24 hours this morning.

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.

Here is exactly how bad laws come about.

The new law has nothing to do with folks who want to strap their gun on their hip… (that’s for law enforcement)

The new law is about protecting the innocent abiding citizens licensed to carry a concealed weapon who bend down and accidentally afford the public to get a glimpse of the weapon they lawfully carry.

Here come in stupid law enforcement and prosecutors. The person gets arrested by some mall cop with an Alaska temperature IQ. Some intake attorney, who forgot to use her common sense instead of systematically and unreasonably  applying the law, files the garbage case. The poor fellow has then no other choice but to either get his case tried or to plea to some serious charge…(no comment from me on jury trials).

Now comes the legislature, telling law enforcement the following: Since you are too stupid to use common sense in failing to realize that a firearm accidentally exposed by someone license to carry it, is not brandished (as brandishing has a “willful” component), we have no choice but to protect the public against your nonsensical imbecility.

And guess who are the morons who are objecting to the law?

BILL COTTERELL
FLORIDA TODAY CAPITAL BUREAU

TALLAHASSEE -- A bill allowing gun owners with concealed-weapons permits to carry their firearms openly cleared its second legislative hurdle in less than 24 hours this morning.

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.