Statewide Poll Shows Floridians Strongly Oppose ‘Guns at Work’ Bill
Voters, Including Hunters, Against Legislation Requiring Guns on Company Property
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 16, 2007) —The Florida Chamber of Commerce today released a statewide poll that reveals Florida voters and gun owners are opposed to the ‘Guns at Work’ legislation currently being considered by the Florida legislature.
“Business owners, hunters, and voters alike are opposed to any bill that allows employees to bring guns locked in their car on company property,” said Marian Johnson, vice president of political strategy for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Floridians agree that the current law should be kept allowing businesses to decide what comes on their property.
Eighty percent of Florida voters agreed that businesses and homeowners should decide what things are brought onto their property. And Fifty-six percent believe business owners should be able to prohibit employees from having a gun locked in their car on company property.
Other results of the Chamber’s polling include:
• Fifty-five percent oppose with forty-one percent strongly opposing a bill that would require employers to allow employees to bring guns to work that are locked in their cars. Only 36 percent total support this bill.
• Fifty-four percent would feel safer if their employer prohibited employees from bringing guns in their cars.
“Florida voters feel safer when businesses are deciding the terms of their property, not government,” said Mark Wilson, executive vice president for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Floridians recognize the importance of private property rights and trust the Florida Chamber over the NRA on this issue, even among those who own concealed weapon permits.”
On deciding whom to trust on issues, the poll also revealed that concealed weapon permit owners trust the Florida Chamber (forty-two percent) over groups like the NRA (twenty-four percent). Among hunters, the Chamber gets forty-eight percent versus thirty percent for the NRA.
The poll was conducted by Tel Opinion Research, April 9-10, 2007. The poll was of 600 likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
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