FL: Hernando County looking to Restore Exercise of Second Amendment Rights to County Workers

On May 8th, 2018, Hernando County Commissioners will consider restoring County workers ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights while on the job. A current County policy prevents them from carrying firearms without fear of disciplinary action. County Commission Chairman Steve Champion has indicated that county workers should not have to chose between their right to self defense and the potential loss of their job. From abcactionnews.com:

HERNANDO COUNTY Fla. — Starting next week, Hernando County workers who have a concealed carry permit may soon be allowed to carry their guns to work.

"They should have a right to defend," said Hernando County Commission Chairman Steve Champion.
Champion also owns American Gun and Pawn.

"Hernando County is a pro second amendment county and I’m pro second amendment," he said.

The county’s current policy prohibits county workers from carrying a weapon while on the job.

"I asked several weeks ago to add this to the agenda to change the policy and allow any concealed weapons holder to carry when appropriate," said Champion.

At the end of February, 2018, Lake County Florida voted to restore the right to bear arms to Lake County employees who had carry permits. From dailycommercial.com:

TAVARES — The Lake County Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to allow county employees with concealed weapon permits to carry their guns while on the job.

Commissioner Josh Blake asked fellow commissioners to consider doing away with the county’s employee policy that prohibits the possession of weapons while on the job. Commissioner Wendy Breeden was hesitant but joined fellow commissioners in the unanimous decision to change the policy.

“I personally believe that the natural right to defend your life does not disappear into thin air when you leave your house in the morning when you go to work. I think that is something we have control over, which we do. It’s our employee handbook. I do think it’s a reasonable thing to allow employees to utilize that right and have the right to self-defense while they are on the job,” Blake said.

The change takes effect immediately and applies to those who have permits. It is illegal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.

It is currently illegal to carry a firearm in Florida (there are a few exceptions) without a permit.  County workers will now be treated the same as other citizens, when it comes to the right to self defense.

This is the continuation of a trend moving across the U.S.A. to restore rights that were infringed with personnel policies in local and state governments. Just because you are a government worker, you should not be required to give up fundamental Constitutional rights. There are exceptions, of course. Prison guards are not allowed to carry guns among the prison population.

Bowling Green in Kentucky restored the right to be armed to public employees at work, in January of 2018. Virginia and Georgia counties restored the right in 2016.  Local government employees have regained their rights in Kansas, North Carolina, Michigan, and Texas.

Government workers should not have extra special rights. They should have the same rights everyone else has. Bureaucrats that have the same rights as ordinary citizens are more likely to uphold those rights. The will have "skin in the game".

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch