Florida Governor Charlie Crist has signed into law controversial legislation that allows Floridians to take guns to work. There are some stipulations, you have to have a permit to carry a concealed weapon and the gun has to be kept locked in the trunk of your car. The new law is getting mixed reviews.
Carrying a gun is a constitutional right. For many Floridians carrying a weapon didn't include taking it to work, until now.
After years of trying, the Florida legislature passed the "Guns at Work" bill, Governor Charlie Crist signed it into law.
"It wasn't a surprise to us"
The Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce opposed the law according to Vice President of Community Affairs, Natalie Prim. "Employers need to be afforded the ability to set there own policies and procedures for their work place and we speak for businesses in Pensacola."
The law allows legal gun owners to keep a gun locked in the trunk of their car at work as long as they ahve a permit for a concealed weapon.
"I'm for people being able to defend themselves and everything this place, not just Pensacola but the whole place is getting violent, wild and you got a lot of criminals and everything," says Michael Henderson.
Even with the new law there are still places where you can't carry a gun whether you have a permit or not Schools are off limits. So are military bases, nuclear power plants and buildings that store explosives.
"Looks like we're going back to the wild wild west you know who draws first wins. I think it's a bad thing might come back and bite him," says Fred Bass.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce along with the state Retail Associaiton are already planning to challenge the new law which takes effect, July first.
Florida joins Alaska, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Oklahoma who already ahve similar laws on the books.
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