Florida Carry Action Alert: Open Carry Bill in Committee Tomorrow

By Justin Stakes

URGENT: HB-163 Open Carry by Rep. Matt Gaetz is on the agenda for the House Judiciary Committee Tomorrow (Thursday, January 28th, 2016) at 9:00am.

Tallahassee, FL -(AmmoLand.com)- HB-163 will allow persons with a Concealed Weapons & Firearms License the right to choose to carry firearms openly or concealed.

It will prevent CW license holders from being charged with the crime of violating the Open Carry ban.

In 30 states any legal gun owner can carry a handgun openly without any license or permit:

[1]. Only 15 states require a license to carry openly

[2]. HB163, in its current form, would still make Florida one of the few states that requires a license prior to the exercise of the fundamental right to bear arms.

Florida’s Current Open Carry Ban

In Florida, and only four other states, the unconcealed or “open” carry of a firearm is generally a criminal act. This crime is punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.[3] There are some very specific exceptions to an open carry charge. These exceptions are all affirmative defenses[4], which means that you must admit to violating the law but claim that you …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand