Florida Senate passes "take-your-guns-to-work" bill

BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Florida lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow Florida residents to keep firearms in their vehicles while at work, according to media reports Thursday.

The so-called "take-your-guns-to-work" bill states that businesses cannot prohibit employees or customers from keeping a legally owned gun locked inside their cars, as long as the gun owner has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

The bill passed the Florida Senate by a vote of 26-13 and an identical version passed the House two weeks ago.

The bill applies to employees, customers and those invited to the business establishment as long as they have a permit to carry the weapon.

The measure exempts a number of workplaces including nuclear power plants, prisons, schools and companies whose business involves homeland security.

The measure drew mixed responses from the public. Backers say the measure upholds the vision of the authors of the U.S. Constitution, who made the right to bear arms part of the Bill of Rights.

Critics say the measure usurps business owners' rights to determine what happens on their property and puts workers and managers at risk from disgruntled employees.

Dozens of workplace shootings occur every year in the United States and studies have shown that job sites where guns are permitted are more likely to suffer workplace homicides than those where guns are prohibited.

(Agencies)