Florida Report: Bill to Stop Discrimination against Gun Owners by Insurance Companies

DATE:   January 15, 2014
TO:      USF & NRA Member and Friends
FROM:  Marion P. Hammer
           USF Executive Director
           NRA Past President

Senate Bill 424 by Senator Tom Lee (R-Brandon) was heard in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee yesterday, Tuesday, January 14.  Senator Lee did a masterful job of explaining the bill and why it is needed.

The bill PASSED by a vote of 9 to 1.

SB-424 is a bill to stop insurance companies from discriminating against gun owners. To view the text of the bill, please click here. 

This bill makes it clear that refusing to issue or renew a policy, or charging unfair rates or canceling a policy -- because an applicant or policy holder exercises the constitutional right to own and possess lawful firearms -- is unfair discrimination and is prohibited.

Further, the bill protects privacy rights by prohibiting insurance companies and their agents from disclosing information on firearms and firearm ownership of its applicants and policyholders to others.

Of course, some insurance companies are saying we don't need this bill because they are not discriminating against gun owners.

Simply put – if they are not discriminating against gun owners, why would they object to a bill that says they can't discriminate against gun owners?

The following 9 Committee Members voted in FAVOR of the bill

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Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Miami) is the only senator who voted AGAINST the bill

Senator Joe Negron and Senator Jeremy Ring had excused absences

The next stop for SB 424 is the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR E-MAILS TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS!!  Your action is always important to the outcome.  Your elected officials can't represent your views if you don't speak up.