DeSantis Signs Permitless Carry Into Law

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With the signature of Governor Ron DeSantis, permitless concealed carry is set to become the law of the land in Florida. The measure will make it legal for individuals to carry concealed weapons without any mandatory license or training. Florida is now the 26th state in the nation to enact similar legislation, which proponents call ‘constitutional carry’. The term refers to the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights which establishes the right to bear arms. The relationship between firearm licenses and permits with the Second Amendment has long been debated by constitutional scholars and gun enthusiasts alike. The main opponents of the legislation have been gun control advocates, who point to the recent school shooting in Nashville as evidence for why permitless is a dangerous proposal. Florida has been home to some of the most notable mass shootings in American history, including the Parkland high school shooting in 2018 and Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016. “Permitless carry is anarchy,” said David Hogg, a Parkland shooting survivor and gun control advocate in March. “It endangers our families and violates our freedom to not be shot by making it easier for criminals to obtain guns and use them.” Governor Ron DeSantis sees it differently. “A constitutional right should not require a permission slip from the government,” he said before the bill passed. “It is time we joined 25 other states to enact constitutional carry in the state of Florida.” There will still be some hurdles to gun ownership in Florida. Those wishing to purchase a firearm license will need to meet the same standards in place now, including no prior felony convictions and no controlled-substance convictions within three years. Like other recent laws passed by the Republican-majority Florida legislature, permitless carry drew widespread protests outside the state capitol. They ultimately fell short of stopping the bill from being passed.