The one thing that confuses me in this bill is the right to store a firearm in my car for lawful purposes. Is this just the same right we Floridians enjoy now or is it new like storage in the parking lots of the banned places(elementary schools, police stations, airports, etc...) Post offices?
The DMV is not on that list so I assume we can ignore the no weapons signs there and OC if this passes in present form. Can you be trespassed from public buildings in Florida for a lawful activity? I guess this has never been put to the test because we all are CC. Gonna be some interesting times coming up.
Ok. Let me see if I can square this away for you.
Here's the what: When 790.251 (gun at work in car) was passed, it was immediately challenged in court by the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The court found that only the portion that protected employees was constitutional. Guests, visitors, and those who do not have a concealed carry license were not protected under the statute. The bill would change that to protect anyone having a firearm in their car for lawful purposes.
Here's the where: With regards to parking lots of schools, you are already permitted to have a securely encased gun in your car on school grounds under an exception to 790.115. However, school districts are permitted to waive that exception for the purpose of campus and student parking privileges if they clearly publish same. Colleges have adopted that same waiver, but there is at least one court case in the FL 5th District Court of Appeal (789 So.2d 530, FL v. Ragland), where the judge specifically mentions this discrepancy. So the answer to schools is a definite...maybe.
Parking lots of police stations, DMV (tax collector), and airports are fine. Parking lots of post offices and VA clinics/hospitals are definite no-nos as they are federally prohibited. A state statute will have no affect on those places.
Finally, parking lots of those places listed in 790.251(7) remain off-limits.