On Monday, we covered the number of anti-gun bills in Florida that are likely to die. For Floridians, that’s ultimately a very good thing. However, despite some referring to it as the Gunshine State, they haven’t passed a lot of pro-gun bills, even right before Parkland happened.

That’s troubling for a supposedly pro-gun state that still has a number of gun restrictions in place.

Of course, Miguel over at Gun Free Zone clued me into a bill that still has a chance of passage.

HB 1437 is a bill that allows churches to decide for themselves whether or not to allow firearms on the premises.

The bill recently passed a committee and is now likely going to the state senate. Now, that doesn’t mean the Senate is going to act on it, but they can’t act on it if the bill never makes it to them. Further, it’s unlikely that the GOP-controlled legislature will outright vote against this bill. The worst-case scenario is inaction, which is a possibility, but hopefully not.

Nor should they.

For one thing, the bill doesn’t require anything of churches. It basically allows them to decide for themselves. Completely pacifistic churches won’t be required to allow armed people in their services. It’s up to them.

Now, I know some readers will find it objectionable that anyone would be barred from carrying a firearm for any reason, but our rights can’t infringe on the rights of others. Just like you can ask someone to leave your home for how they speak, someone should be free to not have guns on their premises.

And I’d rather know who is anti-gun anyway. It makes it easier to determine who and what I want to spend my money and time on.

That’s what HB 1437 does.

Plus, since this is Florida, the vast majority of churches are likely to welcome guns with open arms. Especially following what happened in White Settlement, TX not that long ago.

In fact, White Settlement may also spur the legislature to actually act on this bill. We all had a very powerful reminder of just what happens when an armed citizen is in the right place at the right time. While it would have been better if no one but the bad guy had been shot, that’s just not always possible. That is possible is minimizing the loss of life.

Yet only if an armed individual can be there.

Many states still legally bar carrying a firearm in a church, even after Sutherland Springs. White Settlement should have changed all of that, but legislation takes time. Now, though, Florida has a chance to make that correction and they should. They should do it now. Otherwise, the next church shooting might take place there.

No one wants that. Well, maybe some anti-gunners want it since they love it when they have dead bodies to use as soapboxes, but the rest of us would rather it not happen at all.

If you’re in Florida, it’s time to hit the phones. Call your state legislatures and push for the passage of HB 1437. Make it happen, folks. You and your neighbors need this.