Okla. Law Allows Guns on Company Property

[bryang]

I know this is a heated topic here on our forum and thought it to be news worthy. I searched and did not see it posted anywhere, so if it is, forgive me.

TULSA, Okla. — In Oklahoma, "Take Your Gun to Work Day" could be every day — but some employers are trying to change that.

Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) has sued to block a new law that allows employees to keep guns in their locked vehicles on workplace parking lots. The law was scheduled to take effect Nov. 1, according to the Associated Press, but a federal judge blocked it. Only Kentucky has a similar law.

Whirlpool, which is trying to save its ban on firearms (search) on company property, believes workplace safety should override the rights of gun owners.

"This is a standard company rule that's intended to protect employees ... and to minimize the risk of any incident occurring," Whirlpool said in a statement to FOX News.

Tulsa police are similarly concerned about the prospect of violence in the workplace.

Should Employees Take Guns to Work? Disgruntled employees who wanted to do violence would be "able to have quick access to that gun ... be able to access that facility with that gun, so there's just a quicker step for them to be able to actually use that gun inside that facility," police Sgt. Kim Presley told FOX News.

But Oklahoma gun rights activists (search) argue that they should be allowed to keep weapons in their vehicles on employer property because they want to be armed on the ride to and from work. In addition, they believe the state constitution guarantees their right to bear and transport firearms.

State Rep. Jerry Ellis (search), a Democrat, believes that keeping guns off employer property won't prevent workplace violence.

"People that are going to do violence in the workplace ... it doesn't make any difference how many laws that you have on the books. They have no respect for the law and they're going to do it anyway," Ellis told FOX News.

Oklahoma's heavily Republican legislature and Democratic Gov. Brad Henry overwhelmingly support the law, which was drafted after 12 workers who were found to have stored guns in their parked cars on company property were fired. Those 12 are now suing.

[WarHawk-AVG]

Did something that made sense just come out of a legislators mouth!??!

[bryang]

That was what shocked me when I read it!!! A democrat, too!

-geo

[Keith B]

Bryan,

Unless there is something new, I think this happened last year (2007) in October. Here is another article http://www.law.com/jsp/ihc/PubArticleIH ... 2425674211" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I know it is going for appeal, but don't think the appellate court has heard it yet.

[bryang]

I am sorry, Keith, I must of missed the article last year. This was the first I had seen it. Thanks for pointing that out.

-geo

[Keith B]

No need for an apology. Keep your eyes peeled for updates. The more states that the parking lot law gets passed in, the better it will be to support our run at it in Texas!

[CompVest]

I feel this isn't a question of taking a gun to work but a question of the right to keep a gun in your car which to my mind is keeping a gun in /on your property.

[HighVelocity]

I feel this isn't a question of taking a gun to work but a question of the right to keep a gun in your car which to my mind is keeping a gun in /on your property.

I agree and denying employees to keep a firearm in their locked vehicle/personal property, also deny's them the opportunity to use that tool to defend themselves on the way to and from work, should the need arise.

[anygunanywhere]

I feel this isn't a question of taking a gun to work but a question of the right to keep a gun in your car which to my mind is keeping a gun in /on your property.

You are going to get it now for bringing up the whole property thing.



Anygunanywhere

[CompVest]

Yep, but it needs to be brought up over and over until we have the total right to carry in our vehicles! Once we get that then I want to use it to to say that just as the car is mine so is my body and so I should have the right carry on it where ever I want without fear of a search!

[longtooth]

OOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo
I like that. When you introduceing that bill Ms Senator????

[CompVest]

As soon as I am elected. And since that is likely to happen I just keep converting as many women as I can and getting more NRA members.

[DoubleJ]

growing your voter base, eh?
I'd vote for ya!