NRA & Fla Rep Bob Allan "True Gun Bill"

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Response to Florida Rep. Bob Allen’s so-called “True Gun Bill” Amendment!

Monday, April 23, 2007

DATE: April 23, 2007
TO: USF & NRA Members and Friends
FROM: Marion P. Hammer
NRA Past President
Executive Director Unified Sportsmen of Florida



Many of you contacted the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee members who voted against House Bill 1417 and many of you received a reply from Representative Bob Allen (R) who voted against HB 1417. Representative Allen’s attempt to blame NRA and me for his mistakes cannot go unanswered. I have received questions from a significant number of members wanting to know what really happened. Giving you that information is the purpose of this communication.

Representative Allen’s actions are those of a politician trying to cover himself for selling out gun owners.

It is clear that Representative Allen used this tactic to try to position him for a State Senate race against pro-gun legislators who are also running for the same Senate seat.

Picking a fight with the NRA and me was certain to gain him a lot of attention. However, trying to convince NRA members that he is more pro-gun than the NRA and Marion Hammer is the biggest joke of the century.

Representative Allen was a co-sponsor of HB 1417. He NEVER had any problem with HB 1417 until the Florida Chamber started putting pressure on him to oppose the bill.

Representative Allen deliberately blindsided us with his so-called “True Gun Bill” amendment. He never came to us to say he had a problem with the bill. He never asked us to change the bill. He never told us he was going to file an amendment to gut the bill - he just filed it.

When the amendment was posted, I was shocked. I asked him to withdraw the amendment. Representative Allen refused to withdraw the amendment and assured me that he was not trying to kill the bill. Further, he assured me he would support the bill, even if his amendment were defeated.

Representative Allen’s amendment was killed. He is the only one who voted for it and then Representative Allen voted against the bill that we have worked on for two years.

Representative Allen has made a number of grave political errors in trying to blame others for his mistakes. He compounded it in his latest email in which he tells you to email me personally.

Representative Allen says the following about HB 1417 by Representative Baxley:

"This bill makes no mention of guns. This bill makes no mention of the Second Amendment and This bill is not a gun bill."

Please click here to review a copy of the Representative Baxley’s bill that was conformed to the Senate bill (SB 2356) and I point you to:

page 2, line 28;
page 3, lines 79-82
page 4, lines 102-104

Further, I ask that you take the time to read the whole bill and understand that Representative Baxley’s bill protects all legal products including, firearms, ammunition, gun magazines, hunting gear, NRA magazines and all legal products a gun owners may have in their private car or truck.

I would remind you that in the past, corporate giants have randomly searched private vehicles in their parking lots, without probable cause, under the pretense of searching for “contraband” - which covers anything they choose - and subsequently fired employees who had firearms in their private motor vehicles.

Under Representative Baxley’s bill, a business owner may not conduct searches. Searches are only permitted by on-duty law enforcement based on due process and must comply with constitutional protections.

While Representative Allen’s amendment prohibits searches for firearms, it does not prevent searches for ammunition or any other legal product - and employees could be fired for possession of such products. In short, Representative Allen’s amendment falls far short of providing adequate protection for gun owners. HE KNOWS THAT BECAUSE I EXPLAINED IT TO HIM.

I am sorry that Representative Allen has chosen to engage in this type of conduct. Rest assured, we will keep fighting to protect your rights and we will not quit.

Marion Hammer