Florida State Signature Pen Act - A Proposed Legislative Bill

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Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
60
Location
Sarasota, FL
Hello IAP Community,

I have been a proud member of the IAP community since 2008, and over the years, my passion for crafting pens has grown tremendously. What began as a simple hobby has become a fulfilling journey, allowing me to create beautiful, functional works of art writing instruments, often as gifts for business associates or loved ones. There's something deeply symbolic about signing a document with a hand-crafted pen, especially with a work of art crafted by someone that you have a connection with. A pen is more than a tool of tradition; it's how we solidify our commitments and agreements. In the stroke of its ink lies the power to transform ideas into actions, and intentions into binding promises. The pen doesn't just capture words; it captures the essence of our convictions, becoming a catalyst for change and a symbol of enduring resolve.

Think of our country's Declaration of Independence, a document cherished by all Americans. The bold, prominent signature of John Hancock is a powerful symbol. He signed his name so large that King George could read it without glasses, showcasing the strength and conviction of his beliefs. The pen in his hand and all of the others on that document was more than a tool—it was a declaration of defiance and a catalyst for change. Each signature on these historic documents is a testament to the power and significance of the pen, capturing moments that define our nation's spirit and resolve.

The idea for this initiative came to me after attending a State Legislative Bill signing with Governor DeSantis. He used several Sharpie pens to sign each copy of the bill and then tossed them into the crowd—a very cool gesture. Inspired by this, I propose that our state legislators use hand-crafted pens made by us for their signings. While our pen components may come from around the world, the craftsmanship is entirely our own. No matter where the journey of these components begins, the final, artistic touch happens in our hands, here in our home state.

How can we elevate the visibility of our passion for hand-crafting pens and support this cherished hobby? Starting in Florida, I encourage everyone to embrace this idea and advocate for it in your own state as well. If successful at the state level, we can aim for federal recognition. For those outside the U.S., I invite you to adapt this concept within your own countries.

Whether you support or question this idea, I would love to hear our community's thoughts either positive or negative. Our craft is precious to many of us—let's come together to celebrate and promote it.
Thank you,
Andy
 

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It is a pretty neat idea. Pens can be quite symbolic. I would love to see custom pens used for these event, even better if they were completely American made pens (wood, kit, etc).

An example is when Nancy Pelosi had customer pens made for all of the House Reps who signed the first impeachment of then President Trump. Not bringing up politics, just stating what factually happened. There were custom made pens for this event that were either gold plated or made out of gold. Other events with customer pens were the Montblanc Pen for the Treaty of Versailles ending WWI and the Parker 51 pen used for the United Nations Charter after WW2.
 
Ok Andrew you asked for our opinions so here's mine. In a positive note I think it's a great idea. I agree with you 100%. I think it would be awesome to have someone in high authority to use one of my pens. I have a friend that's in the Army. At one point he worked with Obama and Trump. He was on a team that set up the audio equipment for Obama and traveled wherever he went. When Trump was in office he traveled with him on AirForce 1 helping set up phones and laptops. I was going to make a special pen for Trump and my buddy was going to make sure he received it. Unfortunately I got busy with life issues and never got it done. Now he's in Colorado working for a 5 Star General.

On the negative side I've tried making pens for local Chief of Police and Mayors. It seemed I was almost having to beg them to look at my work. I had to go through secretary's and other office personnel. Don't get me wrong I know they're busy and I was will to make an appointment. It ended up just handing the pens off to someone and let them go through the system. It aggravated me because in my opinion they have forgotten who they actually work for.
As mentioned before it's a great idea and I hope it goes better for you than it did for me. Good Luck
 
Ok Andrew you asked for our opinions so here's mine. In a positive note I think it's a great idea. I agree with you 100%. I think it would be awesome to have someone in high authority to use one of my pens. I have a friend that's in the Army. At one point he worked with Obama and Trump. He was on a team that set up the audio equipment for Obama and traveled wherever he went. When Trump was in office he traveled with him on AirForce 1 helping set up phones and laptops. I was going to make a special pen for Trump and my buddy was going to make sure he received it. Unfortunately I got busy with life issues and never got it done. Now he's in Colorado working for a 5 Star General.

On the negative side I've tried making pens for local Chief of Police and Mayors. It seemed I was almost having to beg them to look at my work. I had to go through secretary's and other office personnel. Don't get me wrong I know they're busy and I was will to make an appointment. It ended up just handing the pens off to someone and let them go through the system. It aggravated me because in my opinion they have forgotten who they actually work for.
As mentioned before it's a great idea and I hope it goes better for you than it did for me. Good Luck
Great comments Kenny. I too have given Pens out and in today's age of mass production of items the custom made items and sometimes looked at in disbelief that we would make something by hand. I hope this may drive awareness and build the conversation about the care we give to the items we make. I find that once I am able to have a conversation especially presenting someone with the Pen the storyline changes rather than this was just a gift I purchased from some store. Thank you all for your comments thus far.
 
Perhaps the way to start is to build pens for a signing of a bill that your local rep sponsored or got passed. It might be a way to get that started.
 
Perhaps the way to start is to build pens for a signing of a bill that your local rep sponsored or got passed. It might be a way to get that started.
Great idea and I have reached out to my local County Commissioner as well. A simple movement gets started like this and I am encouraging all the Pen Makers to take up this plan with your local communities. Copy what I have done and let's spread this to all of our Communities and local governments. Thank you, Kent for your ideas.
 
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