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Habitat and Lands:
Right to carry guns in National Forests & State Parks

Our Position: oppose
Bill Number: HB1029/SB1546
Sponsor: Senator Bill Posey & Representative Dennis Baxley
Legislative Session: 2006

7/5/06: Approved by Governor; Chapter No. 2006-103 on Thursday, June 08, 2006 9:12 AM

5/14/06: PASSED and House bill ordered enrolled.: 5/4/06: SB1546/HB1029: Guns in State Parks: so now you happy campers, you can be a card carrying, permitted gun owner, & you can keep your weapon in your tent, RV, trailer, car, truck. Keep yourself safe from those other pesky wildlife inhabitants and those renegade nasty campers that will come attacking. At least that was the reason given by the NRA lobbyist, who told of a camper who was attacked, and, had they had a gun, the outcome of the attack  would have been different. Imagine what that outcome would have been.

5/4/06: Tuesday May 2: Senate Vote: 31 Yeas / 6 Nays. Bill is now ordered enrolled and will be sent to the Governor. Click here for how the Senate voted4/29/06: The Senate bill SB1546 is on Senate Special Order calendar 5/1/06.

4/25/06: HOUSE bill was Read third time; Passed YEAS  90  NAYS  27
               now in SENATE In Messages. Senate bill is in General Government Apptns.

4/20/06: because the bill was left pending the week before, and having received enough votes to pass out of the Senate Environmental Preservation Committee, the bill moved out of Committee without discussion.  

 04/18/06 Environmental Preservation agenda; 4/8/06: The bill (SB1546/HB1029), would allow for permitted gun owners to carry guns (but not hunt)  into state parks had an interesting twist of  fate in our favor  on Monday 4/3. Senator  Rod Smith moved to have the bill left pending for reconsideration.  Contact the members of the Senate Environmental Preservation Committee and tell them they have another opportunity to vote against this flawed bill.

Click here to read the House versions and staff analyses. HB1029

Status

5/4/06: Tuesday May 2: Senate Vote: 31 Yeas / 6 Nays. Bill is now ordered enrolled and will be sent to the Governor. 

04/25/06 HOUSE bill was Read third time; Passed YEAS  90  NAYS  27
               now in SENATE In Messages: Senate bill
 

4/4/06: House Justice Council passed HB1029. Click here for votes. 

4/18/06: bill is back on Environmental Preservation Committee agenda. 4/3/06: Senator Smith discussed with the Sponsor Senator Posey, during the Senate Environmental Preservation Committee the problems with his bill. Especially allowing guns in state parks, where families and children camp. This was of concern to several other members. The bill passed 4 for and 2 against. Upon completion of the bill, Senator Smith, being on the prevailing side, along with agreement by the Sponsor Senator Posey, brought the bill back up for reconsideration and left it pending.

Action Needed

4/14/06:Contact your legislators and let them know what you think about this.  Many large groups of citizens use State Parks for such activities as hiking, birding and general observation of plants, trees and wildlife.  Moreover, many State Parks are used as outdoor classrooms for school children. Rifles and shotguns are out of place in such a setting.  Ben Fusaro, Chapter's Protecting Florida's Native Habitat Issue Chair.

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