Due to the current social and economic climate in the United States, I think we can all agree that gun reform should happen.  But to what extent? While the government should be implementing stricter firearms purchasing standards, the people should also have a say and should consider the rights set forth by the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. This petition is mainly for pushing the State Of Florida to join 45 other states in allowing the Open Carry Of Firearms. However, it will also cover a few other firearm related clauses that should be included with this bill.

 

What this petition seeks to include are the following:

-      Allow OPEN CARRY of handguns in Florida

-      Require ALL firearms purchasers to pass a training course, background check and psych test.

-      Require open carry holders to possess and display an open carry certification card in plain view on their holster.

-      Provide Self Defense Training and Concealed Carry Training to Teachers.

-      Allow Teachers the option to Conceal Carry while working.

 

Currently, the State Of Florida only allows the conceal carry of firearms if the owner possesses a CCW permit. Open carry is a criminal offense. 3 out of 4 Police Officers that were asked “Do you prefer to have citizens open carry or concealed carry?”, have stated they prefer open carry to concealed carry because now they can visually see who has a firearm and they’re no longer playing the guessing game all the time. As of now, 45 other states allow the open carry of firearms, either with or without a permit.  

 

All firearms purchases should have to go through training, background check and psych test. If law enforcement officers have to do it to carry a firearm, then regular citizens should too.

One to combat legal open carriers vs criminals is to have an Open Carry Permit displayed on the holster of the firearm. This serves 2 purposes. 1 distinguishes to Law Enforcement that the owner has completed the required training, background check and psych test to carry the firearm. It also serves as an automatic identifier to Law Enforcement. Instead of Law Enforcement demanding ID and being refused, it allows law enforcement and the general public to easily identify someone.

In Texas, they regulated a few years ago, that Teachers were not only going to be trained in self defense techniques, but they also will be trained in concealed carry. After that they were given the right and option to conceal carry if they so choose. Many teachers chose the option to conceal carry and statistics have shown the violence in schools there, particularly the gun violence and mass shootings in schools, has dropped significantly. Teachers have the responsibility to not only educate our students, but to also keep our children safe while they are in school. As someone who has a small child in school and is married to a teacher, I believe it is our responsibility to ensure our teachers can do that job effectively and having armed teachers in schools helps prevent or minimize school shootings. It’s better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

Restrictions for open carry and conceal carry would still need to be in place.  Things like private business can deny someone the right to enter the premises while carrying a firearm.  Places like public parks, theme parks, government buildings, high risk organizations, hospitals, and schools (except teachers) should be restricted to not allow firearms as they currently are.

 

There are more benefits than just having happier residents. By allowing the open carry of firearms in Florida, the state would benefit in several different ways.

-Firearm sales and firearm accessory sales would increase exponentially, thereby increasing sales tax revenue within the state. This allows for more funds to put more police officers on the street, pay teachers higher wages, and provide better services for the state.

-Business would be better protected resulting in reduced business losses and expenses.  That extra money could go back into keeping businesses afloat during hard times as well as being able to pay their employees higher wages.

-Schools would be better protected instead of just having one law enforcement officer at a school ready to respond, you would now have twenty or thirty armed citizens ready and available to act.

-Law enforcement officers could potentially be safer because they will physically see a persons weapon without having to guess whether or not they have one concealed.

-Finally, the crime rate could potentially be reduced for other crimes. By having open carry armed citizens, criminals will be reluctant to commit a crime when they can see there are well protected citizens that could or would prevent them from being successful. This crime prevention results in less people in our prisons, which in turn reduces the tax burden on the state and its people. Lower crime rates also increase property values thereby generating more tax revenue and allows police departments faster response times. 

If you feel comfortable doing so, when signing this petition please put in a comment below these statements if any of them apply to you: if you are current or former military please put "current or former military."  If you are a conceal carry permit holder, please put that.  If you are a parent with a child in a school, if you are a teacher, if you are current or former law enforcement please put that in a comment below.  I will be tallying those up when this is ready to send to the governor to aid in showing support for this petition.