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The top issue at the state Capitol Tuesday? Guns, and lots of them. As Matt Galka tells us, lawmakers advanced an open carry proposal in the face of stiff opposition.

More than a million floridians with concealed carry permits wouldn’t have to hide their weapons anymore under a new gun proposal. An open carry bill from Sen. Don Gaetz(R-Niceville) cleared its first Senate committee Tuesday.

“We don’t need an outcry in favor of our constitutional rights, we just need our constitutional rights,” he said.

It didn’t come without stiff opposition. The Florida Fraternal Order of Police is concerned.

“Unfortunately some people want to be police officers like George Zimmerman did, we don’t need George Zimmerman’s walking around with firearms exposed,” said Javier Ortiz, the president of the FOP’s Miami chapter.

The mother of Jordan Davis, the Jacksonville teenager killed over loud music, was upset about another expansion of gun laws. She was at the hearing to oppose a Stand Your Ground bill.

“Our communities are not safer. If you’re carrying your gun openly, we’ve found and we know that people are far more intimidated,” said Lucia McBath.

And business owners aren’t on board and have concerns about people toting guns openly in front of their stores

“With the tens of thousands of businesses that we represent around the state, want the freedom on their property to set the standard by which someone can bring an open carry weapon on to those premises,” said Florida Chamber Attorney Gary Hunter.

But the bill had other law enforcement behind it.  Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith called it “crime prevention 101.”

“I’ll tell you this, any crowd I go to, I’d rather know who’s got the gun then guessing who’s got the gun,” he said.

The bill’s passage represents an early trend so far in the leadup to 2016’s legislative session: gun bills moving quickly.

The bill’s sponsor said that he’d work with business groups to come up with protections for store owners. The House version of the bill is sponsored by Sen. Don Gaetz’ son, Matt Gaetz.