'Open Carry' Gun Bill Clears Senate Committee
TALLAHASSEE - (CBS4) - Carrying a concealed weapon also carries with it some risks especially if the wind blows and a weapon is accidentally revealed.
Flashing a gun carries criminal penalties. Now, the state legislature wants to ease that law and on Monday it cleared the first hurdle: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted 3-2 to approve a bill that would allow weapons o be openly carried in the state.
On Tuesday morning, the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 10-3 for the measure even over the objections from several groups including law enforcement and retail business organizations.
The National Rifle Association has endorsed the bill and Sen. Greg Evers who sponsored the bill said he hopes it will prevent charges against people who accidentally show their weapons.
A section that would have allowed guns on college campuses has been struck from the bill after legislators heard compelling testimony from a father whose daughter was accidentally shot and killed at Florida State University.
Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, a former sheriff, expressed concern about how the bill impacts law enforcement officers.
"It is hard for that responding officer to make a split-second decision about good guys and bad guys," Dean said.
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