Lawmakers still have to decide if they want to allow gun owners in Florida to carry their weapons openly. But a group of law enforcement agencies in Pinellas County say they want to make it clear, they do not support this bill.

Clearwater police Chief Daniel Slaughter is also a part of the Pinellas Police Standards Council, which doesn’t support the potential of an open carry law.

“I think with all rights come responsibility and I think this is one of those particular interests. I don’t even allow my law enforcement officers with my own department off-duty to carry their guns openly,” Slaughter said.

Friday the group of 13 different law enforcement agencies in the county spoke out against a bill that could allow gun owners to carry their guns out in the open for everyone to see.

“Well, we don’t believe the open carry is totally necessary. It’s not about Second Amendment rights,” Slaughter said. “It’s not about the right to bear arms. The people that have concealed weapon permits can carry guns lawfully in a concealed manor. It would just cause a disruption in the public and make the public not feel safe.”

But gun enthusiasts like Nick Novakaht, say they can see the good and the bad with an open carry law.

“I’ve got mixed feelings. I’m a concealed carry holder and I like the element of surprise. But every now and then I feel like if it was open carry that might deter people from committing crimes,” Novakaht said.

Even after weighing the pros and the cons of the potential new law, almost all of the gun owners we asked at a local gun store said they definitely support the open carry bill but they’ll still conceal their weapons.

“I wouldn’t mind it. I know initially I would be uneasy walking into stores seeing everybody carrying but I guess I would get used to it,” said Novakaht.

 Local law enforcement says they hope it doesn’t come to that.

If the law is passed, the 1.45 million people with concealed weapon permits will be able to carry their guns out in the open.

Florida’s Police Chief’s Association recently spoke out saying they would support the bill but only if amendments were made.

This is the way the bill reads on the Florida House of Representatives website:

Provides for construction of statutes that implicate right to bear arms or defend one's self; provides that certain persons & public entities that infringe on specified rights of individual may be subject to liability under specified provisions & have no immunity; provides exception; provides construction; provides that employer may direct employee regarding weapons; provides that employee has no cause of action against employer regarding such direction; specifies that law enforcement officer may arrest person for unlicensed carrying of concealed weapon only upon probable cause that such violation is being committed; provides that person licensed to carry concealed firearm or weapon may also openly carry such firearm or weapon as long as such person is in compliance with specified provisions.