Metal Detecting banned in Florida?!

[Dragon44]

I can't post in announcements so please...Here it is...SB 868, http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/868 which may strip our rights and completely end the days of Metal Detecting in Florida. It has been passed unanimously by the House (HB 591-CS passed as amended; YEAS 118 NAYS 0 on 2/16/2012) and the Senate Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Committee. The Bill states that...any person who...removes or attempts to remove, or defaces, destroys, or otherwise alters any...specimen located upon land owned or controlled by the state or within the boundaries of a...[local government body politic] except in the course of activities pursued under the authority of a permit granted by the Division or under procedures relating to accredited institutions, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree. A person who engages in the same conduct by means of excavation commits a felony of the third degree...Individuals also are prohibited, and subject to criminal penalties, for selling or procuring objects which have been collected in violation of state law. CS/SB 868 expands the provisions contained in s. 267.13, F.S., related to prohibited practices and penalties to include state sovereignty submerged land (Includes Beach Land Below the High Mean Water/Tide Mark) and land owned by political subdivisions (Your local town/City). Any specimens, objects, and materials collected in violation of the law are forfeited to the state. Currently, the statutes only apply to land owned or controlled by the state, or within the boundaries of a designated state archaeological landmark or landmark zone. Thus, the bill affords protection to other public landowners, who are not covered by current laws and limited to other remedies such as trespass after warning...Our only hope to keep our hobby alive is to demand that Governor Rick Scott VETO this law! Write him, email him, call him and protect your rights and our hobby! Even if you don't live in Florida! He can be reached at http://www.flgov.com

[UFO]

That sucks, I just sent him a message.

[Dragon44]

THANKS! Here is my letter to him...SB 868, was unscrupulously tagged onto the latest appropriations bill for transportation where it was passed - probably for the most part unconsciously - by the House and Senate. Members of the historic shipwreck professional community, metal detector hobbyists, and historic artifact collectors across the state – and the country - are outraged by the deception.

Please VETO this bill until the major stakeholders have a moment to provide thoughtful and effective input. This bill in its current format is not only unconstitutional; it is vague and unfair to private sector stakeholders. However good the intentions of the legislators, it seems that the representatives and senators on the committees who voted on this bill did not and do not understand its full impact and ramifications. Members of my profession have a professionally prepared economic impact statement and have written to you requesting a meeting to discuss this matter. In the meantime, I urge you to NOT SIGN this bill into LAW until after meeting with my colleagues.