TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - Most Florida residents would be allowed to take guns to work under a measure passed by Florida lawmakers on Wednesday. The bill, allowing workers to keep guns in their cars for self-protection, was approved by the Florida Senate by a vote of 26-13. It now goes to Republican Gov. Charlie Crist to sign into law. Backed by the National Rifle Association and some labor unions, the so-called "take-your-guns-to-work" measure would prohibit business owners from banning guns kept locked in motor vehicles on their private property. The measure applies to employees, customers and those invited to the business establishment as long as they have a permit to carry the weapon. Backers say the measure upholds the vision of the authors of the U.S. Constitution, who made the right to bear arms part of the Bill of Rights. "The second thing they wrote about in that constitution was the right to bear arms," said Sen. Durell Peaden, a Republican from Crestview, Florida. "It was what was dear in their hearts." The measure exempts a number of workplaces including nuclear power plants, prisons, schools and companies whose business involves homeland security. Critics say the measure usurps business owners' rights to determine what happens on their property and puts workers and managers at risk from disgruntled employees. Dozens of workplace shootings occur every year in the United States and studies have shown that job sites where guns are permitted are more likely to suffer workplace homicides than those where guns are prohibited. "This is an attempt to trample upon the property rights of property owners and attempt to make it more difficult to protect the workers in a workplace and those who visit our retail establishments," said Sen. Ted Deutch, a Boca Raton Democrat. Oklahoma, Alaska, Kentucky, and Mississippi have similar laws, although in Oklahoma, an appellate court barred the state from enforcing the legislation on grounds that it was unconstitutional. Florida business groups are urging the governor to veto the measure, saying owners should be allowed to determine what happens on their property. "We are disappointed that politics clearly won over good policy," Mark Wilson, president and chief executive of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.
Are motor vehicles no longer private property? How is an employer allowed to regulate what I store in my car to begin with? Can my boss say no V8's allowed and get away with it? Then how can they say "no guns in your car?"
My boss started that "no guns" policy just before Christmas at our annual "come to jesus" meeting. Myself and several other key employees told them that it was their right to have no guns on their property; we just wouldn't come onto their property anymore. I made it perfectly clear what their rights were pertaining to regulating my rights and pointed out that I really didn't have any other hobbies so I don't mind spending a lot of money suing the crap out of them if they've got a problem with that.
I know Im haveing to try to figure out the best way for me to carry on one of my jobs (the other takes place mostly on a collage campus where might except also have to spend time on a military base where you can be searched and its a felony if caught) but will be climbing around in trees with a climbing saddle on and climbing spikes on the ankles. So havent decided yet how carry there will go. May just have to get a P3AT to pocket carry. The one(s) in the truck aint a problem (aside from on the base) since I have no intention of allowing employers to search my vehicles anyway.
