The House Environmental and Natural Resources Council held a hearing today, April 18, on House Bill 1417, sponsored by Representative Dennis Baxley. Unfortunately, HB 1417 was defeated by a vote of 10 to 4.
Seven (7) Republican Committee Members sold out the citizens they were elected to represent in favor of corporate giants like PUBLIX, DISNEY and WALMART.
The anti-gun Florida Chamber of Commerce targeted two Committee members (Representative Faye Culp & Representative Rich Glorioso) with TV attack ads that ran over the weekend and put pressure on others to subvert your constitutional rights. Those two Representatives did not cave to anti-gun pressure, and they stood strong for the people.
Three (3) Republicans and one (1) Democrat voted FOR the bill: Representative Debbie Boyd (D), Representative Faye Culp (R), Representative Rich Glorioso (R) and Representative Paige Kreegel (R). These are four of the most honorable members of the Florida House. NRA will always remember their courage and support for HB 1417.
One of the most disappointing votes was Representative Bob Allen (R), who was a co-sponsor of the bill and assured NRA he was pro-gun and would vote in support of HB 1417. However, he then VOTED AGAINST HB 1417. Please call Representative Bob Allen at his Tallahassee Office number (850) 488-4669 and express your disappointment in his actions.
The following Representatives voted AGAINST the bill, your privacy rights, your personal property rights and your Second Amendment Rights:
Rep. Bob Allen (R) (850) 488-4669
Rep. Mary Brandenburg (D) (850) 488-0260
Rep. Denise Grimsley (R) (850) 488-3457
Rep. Will Kendrick (R) (850) 488-7870
Rep. Rick Kriseman (D) (850) 488-9337
Rep. Bryan Nelson (R) (850) 488-2023
Rep. Richard Machek (D) (850) 488-5588
Rep. Stan Mayfield (R), Chair (850) 488-0952
Rep. Baxter Troutman (R) VC (850) 488-9465
Rep. Trudi Williams (R) (850) 488-2047
Their email addresses are:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
NRA will not forget these anti-gun, anti-freedom, anti-constitution Representatives. Some Representatives are term-limited and planning to run for other offices, others will have to run for re-election in 2008. We will keep you posted on others who worked behind the scenes to help sell out Florida’s law-abiding citizens gun owners.
The following is the Testimony of Marion Hammer on this bill to the House Environmental & Natural Resources Council 4/18/07:
Committee Members,
This bill is about the individual rights of everyday people. People are more important than a chunk of asphalt parking lot. You don't stop being a person when you accept employment or become a customer.
A grocery store or an amusement park has NO right to search your private vehicle just because you parked in their parking lot. They have NO right to tell you what private personal property you can have inside your private vehicle.
Well, that's what this bill is about.
Constitutional rights and statutory rights do NOT end when you cross from one piece of asphalt upon which you drive - to another piece of asphalt upon which you park.
There has been a lot of talk about taking away property rights.
Let's be very clear. This bill doesn't take away ANY property rights. It doesn't give any property rights.
It protects EXISTING property rights of customers and employees.
Opponents of this bill are trying to dream up or manufacture rights for themselves while trampling existing rights of others. The Constitution has NEVER given business owners the right to subvert the privacy rights and Second Amendment rights of customers or employees.
This bill protects a person's right to have legal property that is lawfully possessed locked inside a personal private vehicle in a parking lot. A private vehicle, by the way, that is an extension of your home.
Think about women who work late hours as cashiers at supermarkets. And what about employees of all-night pharmacies, or nurses or lab technicians who work late shifts and drive to and from work through dangerous areas late at night?
As one female legislator asked, what about lawmakers who travel their districts at night for speaking engagements? Are they not supposed to park anywhere or stop for a cup of coffee or a soda or a bite to eat because they carry a gun in the car for protection?
A woman who is being stalked needs protection. Police often advise these women to buy a gun for protection because police can't be there to protect them. An employer violates her rights if the employer attempts to force her to waive her rights and chose between her life and her job.
Her employer has no right to tell her that she'll be fired if she exercises her right to have a firearm in her vehicle for protection.
This bill is about staying alive to get to work and staying alive to get home to your family after work. THERE CAN BE NO STRONGER RIGHT.
Legislatures have a duty to protect the constitutional rights of individuals from abuses. They must act as a shield to protect constitutional rights of the people; they also must act as the point of a sword to punish those who violate our inalienable rights.
The Florida Chamber says they represent over 100,000 business owners and those businesses employ over 3 million workers. The Chamber ONLY represents those few business owners.
The Chamber is NOT representing the rights of those 3 million workers or the rights of the millions upon millions of customers.
We're asking you to protect the rights of those workers and customers - the people whose rights you were sent here to protect. Please pass this bill.
Keeping checking www.NRAILA.org for updates on Florida’s “Individual Personal Private Property Protection” legislation and for Second Amendment issues around the nation.
More Like This From Around The NRA
