Opinion by Marion Hammer
Florida – -(AmmoLand.com)- On Monday 3/25/2019, SB-1238 – Guns on Private Property of Churches by Sen. Debbie Mayfield was heard in the Senate Judicary Committee and PASSED by a vote of 4-2.
However, the story of the day was the arrogance and lack of professionalism by Bloomberg’s Moms Demand Action lobbying group and their “lobbyist of the day.”
Dressed like she was going to a flea market, instead of appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Moms Demand Action (MDA) “volunteer,” Beth Dumond of Tallahassee, read the same INACCURATE testimony that a different “volunteer” read to House Judiciary Committee last week.
However, Ms. Dumond critized two legislators on the House Criminal Justice who reprimanded the MDA Lobbyist for previous INACCURATE testimony. Ms. Dumond accused legislators Rep. Mike Grieco (D) and Rep. Byron Donalds (R) of essentially being “confused” about the meaning of legal terminology.
Accusing two legislators — an Attorney and a Financial Advisor — of being “confused” and essentially saying they don’t understand legal terminology is the height of arrogance.
Folks, you just can’t make this stuff up…..Some ghost somewhere is obviously paid by Bloomberg to write this inaccurate testimony.
You can view this anti-gun arrogance for yourself . Use the link below and move the time bar at the bottom of the screen to the 1:12:00 mark to begin the hearing on SB-1238.
https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/3-25-19-senate-judiciary-committee/
Voting in FAVOR of the SB-1238 were: Senators Dennis Baxley (R), Travis Hutson (R), Kelli Stargel (R), & Chair. David Simmons (R).
Voting AGAINST SB-1230 were: Senators Audrey Gibson (D) & Jose Rodriguez (D)
Background: SB-1238 is about RESTORING the property rights of churches, synagogues, and other religious institutions.
Currently, religious institutions are being prevented from making safety and security decisions on their own property. They’re being prohibited from having security teams to provide safety on church property and from allowing citizens who are licensed to carry from protecting themselves and their families on church property.
These rights are the very same rights that private citizens, businesses, and other private organizations have on their property.
Just because a church has a private child care program or private pre-school program does not mean the government can hijack it’s property. Church property is not school property and it’s not government property.
The state has no more right to strip away the property rights of churches than it does to prohibit ME or YOU from having guns in our homes because we home school our children or grandchildren.
This bill restores the right of religious institutions to make their own decisions about whether or not they want guns on their property and if so, who can and who cannot carry on church property.
This bill amends the concealed carry licensing law to make it clear that churches have the right to make decisions about the safety and protection of members and guests on the property of religious institutions.