Florida legislature passes law allowing concealed carry without a permit
Brady Knox
Florida lawmakers passed a law allowing the concealed carry of a loaded firearm without a permit.
The bill would call for “constitutional carry,” as described by pro-gun activists, stripping away the additional layer of background checks, licensing, and firearm training currently required for concealed carry. The bill is likely to become law soon, as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has indicated he will sign it, NBC News reported.
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NORTH CAROLINA GOP ENDS PISTOL PERMIT SYSTEM AFTER OVERRIDING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR’S VETO
“A constitutional right should not require a permission slip from the government. It is time we joined 25 other states to enact constitutional carry in the state of Florida,” he said in his most recent State of the State address.
If passed, Florida will become the 26th state to allow concealed carry without a permit.
The move was condemned by gun control organizations, who argued that it was the opposite of what was currently needed.
“In an era of increased mass shootings and rising gun crime, it is outlandish that our legislature is being asked to loosen gun restrictions rather than strengthen them,” Prevent Gun Violence said in a January statement after the introduction of the law. “Lawmakers must immediately reject Florida’s legislators should instead focus their efforts on enacting common-sense gun laws that prioritize public safety, including universal background checks, banning military-style assault weapons, and safe storage laws. In a time where hate speech and violence are all too common, relaxing requirements to carry a firearm is playing with the lives of Floridians.”
Luis Valdes, the Florida state director of the pro-gun organization Gun Owners of America, praised the passing of the bill in a press release, declaring it a victory for liberty.
“We’ve put enough pressure on the Republican Establishment and we’ve gotten a major win across the finish line. As soon as Governor DeSantis signs this into law, starting July 1, Floridians will no longer need a government permission slip to carry a firearm,” he wrote. “No longer are we beholden to the government to protect ourselves.”
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However, he added that there is still more work to be done, and the group will now push for “Open Carry, Campus Carry, repealing Red Flag Laws, and repealing Gun Free Zones” in what he calls the “gunshine state.”
The move is the latest in a legislative blitz pushed by conservatives after Republicans achieved a supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature following the midterm elections last year.