Commissioner Graham Fountain, District One Commissioner and Public Safety Liaison for the Board of County Commissioners, will sponsor a “Second Amendment Safe-Haven” resolution at the December 17, 2019 Okaloosa County Commission meeting in Shalimar.

Fountain, a retired law enforcement executive on the county and state level, is a supporter of the citizen’s right to keep and bear arms under the U.S. Constitution. His resolution is similar to the “Second Amendment Sanctuary” resolutions being filed in other counties and states save for the title.

“While working with Sheriff Larry Ashley on the resolution, it was clear we both didn’t like the term “sanctuary” as it evoked visions of illegal aliens and local governments not supporting President Trump’s strong stand against harboring criminals who should be deported or detained,” said Commissioner Fountain.  

Fountain will ask his fellow commissioners on the Board to adopt his resolution stating very clearly that Okaloosa County is a safe haven for citizens to purchase, bear, and possess firearms and use them lawfully for protection and sport.

Due to some statutory inaccuracies in prior resolutions being filed around the state and pending legislative actions that would serve to further violate citizen’s constitutional rights, Fountain’s resolution goes a bit further. It includes the following provisions:

• Prohibits spending county funds by the Sheriff for any collecting, seizing, cataloging, storing etc. of citizen’s firearms merely because of constitutional possession/ownership and not in connection with a lawful criminal predicate outside of the possession.
• Prohibits spending county funds and personnel appropriated to the Sheriff to assist federal agencies in the collection, seizure or cataloguing of citizen’s firearms protected under the constitution.
• Requests the Florida Legislature to fill a bill to amend state law removing Florida “Peace Officer Status” and legal protections to federal agents and officers while collecting or seizing citizen’s constitutionally possessed firearms.
• Encourages the Florida Legislature to amend state law to once again allow lawful US citizens in Florida between the ages of 18-20 to legally purchase firearms to include handguns, semi-automatic rifles, and shotguns to use for protection and sport as provided by the US Constitution.
• Request the State of Florida to settle the lawsuit between the NRA and the legislature which challenged the provisions passed that prohibited adults under the age of 21 from purchasing firearms.
• Supports Amendment 1536 of the National Security Act signed into law in 2016 by the President and encourages Okaloosa County military base commanders to allow military personnel to possess and carry firearms on base at all times when meeting the Florida State requirements for a concealed weapon permit.
• Continues support of Okaloosa County BCC personnel, through county policy, authorizing them to carry concealed firearms on duty with state concealed weapon permit.
• Pledges support the “Guardian Program” through the Sheriff and School Board to training and Arm teacher and administrators who volunteer to carry firearms and protect our student from active shooter threats.
• Encourages state and federal legislature to cease legislative or regulatory efforts to further adopt additional gun control measures that interfere with the constitutional rights to purchase, keep, and bear arms to include any attempt at outlawing or collecting semi-automatic rifles such as AR-15, Mini-14s and the like used by common gun enthusiasts, boat/vessel owners, farmers/land owners, hunters and home owners.
• Encourages the local business community to not-to-adopt or remove “Gun Free Zones” that gives criminals and mentally ill shooters a tactical advantage over law-abiding patrons in their businesses.
• In declaring Okaloosa County a “2^nd Amendment Safe-Haven, declares Board support for the constitutional right to purchase, sell, keep, and bear firearms; and makes a public commitment to work hard to represent the Board’s  constituency in defense of that right with  state and federal policy makers.