OK:Reform of Gun Restrictions in Parking Lots Passes House

Gun Watch ^ | 12 March, 2014 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The Oklahoma House passed a gun reform bill on Monday, 10 March by the healthy margin of 74-17.  The bill, HB2329, seems relatively uncontroversial, as it brings school parking lots in line with other public parking lots for buildings where second amendment rights are restricted under Oklahoma Law.

Currently, governmental office space used for conducting business with the public, prisons, jails and detention facilities, schools, sports arenas (during events), and  places where pari-mutual wagering is authorized, are places where the exercise of second amendment rigthts, even by people with permits, is not allowed.

It is legal to have a firearm in vehicles in parking lots of all of these places except for schools.   The penalty for violating this statute is a misdemeanor with a possible fine of up to $250, except for schools, where it is a felony with a potential fine of up to $5,000!

While the experience of other states indicates that this long list of places could be shortened a good deal, the legislation that passed the house is modest.  It simply brings the prohibition for schools in line with the rest of prohibited places, allowing lawful storage of firearms in locked vehicles in parking lots and standardizing  the penalty to a misdemeanor and a potential fine of $250 dollars.


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[marktwain]

A small step, but changing the penalty from a felony to a misdemeanor is significant.

One of the tactics the "progressives" have used to repress resistance to tyrannical gun laws is to make the penalties so disproportional for such small things as to make ordinary people risk a great deal for a simple mistake.

[Swordmaker]

It is legal to have a firearm in vehicles in parking lots of all of these places except for schools. The penalty for violating this statute is a misdemeanor with a possible fine of up to $250, except for schools, where it is a felony with a potential fine of up to $5,000!

Perhaps I'm just tired after a long day's work. . . or perhaps I'm reading this wrong. . . or perhaps someone is a terrible reporter. So, do I understand one MUST legally possess a firearm in the parking lot of all these places? If one does NOT have a firearm in one's car, one is subject to a misdemeanor with a fine of $250 for NOT having a firearm in the car? And if one parks in a school lot, it's a FELONY and a $5000 fine for NOT having a gun? That's the way this paragraph is written. . . Or am I mistaken??? Sheesh. . .

[marktwain]

“Currently, governmental office space used for conducting business with the public, prisons, jails and detention facilities, schools, sports arenas (during events), and places where pari-mutual wagering is authorized, are places where the exercise of second amendment rigthts, even by people with permits, is not allowed.”

You have to follow the information from the previous paragraph.

You are correct that it could be better written. Thanks for the constructive criticism. I should have re-written it instead of rushing to publish.

[marktwain]

Here is a substitution paragraph:

It is legal to have a firearm in vehicles in the parking lots of all of these places except for schools. The penalty for leaving the vehicle unlocked and unattended, with a firearm inside, or for taking the firearm into the prohibited place is a misdemeanor with a possible fine of up to $250. Having a firearm at a school parking lot, or taking one into a school, is a felony with a potential fine of up to $5,000!