Florida Passes Permitless Concealed Carry Bill – Headed to Governor Ron DeSantis’ Desk!

Florida Legislature Passes Permitless Concealed Carry Bill – Headed to Governor Ron DeSantis’ Desk!
Florida Legislature Passes Permitless Concealed Carry Bill – Headed to Governor Ron DeSantis’ Desk!

After a long hard struggle (which isn’t over, by the way), Florida is advancing on Second Amendment rights once again. Once a front-runner on gun rights, Florida fell behind a number of states and is playing catch-up. Starting July 1st, Floridians will at least be able to join 25 other states by being able to conceal and carry a handgun without the need of a government issue permission slip.

The last few years have been a hard struggle to advance gun rights in the “gunshine state.” For years, a Republican Supermajority refused to touch Constitutional Carry. But, after the hard work and dedication of Gun Owners of America and fellow like-minded gun-owning patriots, enough pressure was put on lawmakers to take up the issue. In previous legislative sessions, every real pro-gun bill was killed in committee on the orders of the previous House Speaker and Senate President.

Through GOA’s hard work, along with our allies, things started to change in Florida. While we all want real Constitutional Carry—which would protect the right to Open Carry—this is still a step in the right direction.

Yesterday, the Senate passed CS/HB-543 (CS/SB-150). Last week, the State House passed its version, HB-543. These bills are for Permitless Concealed Carry. This goes into effect July 1,st and the best part is, it doesn’t only apply to residents.

All Americans visiting Florida can carry without a permit starting July 1.

That is great news for the tourists who visit our beaches and parks. Their Second Amendment rights don’t end at the borders of Georgia or Alabama.

John Velleco, GOA's Executive Vice President with Governor DeSantis
John Velleco, GOA’s Executive Vice President with Governor DeSantis

While this isn’t true Constitutional Carry, again, this is an important step towards restoring Floridians’ right to keep and bear arms.

No longer are gun owners in Florida beholden to the government to protect themselves.

Having the ability to have at least one method of carrying without the requirement of having a government issue permission slip is a good thing.

But this doesn’t mean that Gun Owners of America will “take the win” and move on—as Rep. Chuck Brannan told gun owners earlier this session. Clearly, Florida has RINOs in the legislature that still need a good political shellacking.

The fight is ongoing, and Governor DeSantis is on our side. He has stated that he supports true Constitutional Carry. He supports Open Carry and, in the past, has stated that he would have vetoed the Parkland Gun Control bill signed into law by his gubernatorial predecessor, Rick Scott.

GOA is still going to push for Open Carry, Campus Carry, repealing Red Flag Laws, and repealing Gun Free Zones.

So, let’s keep up the good fight and make sure to keep the pressure on our legislators in Tallahassee. The next session is right around the corner and getting Permitless Concealed-Only Carry was just the first battle in the war to restore our Second Amendment rights in the “gunshine state.”


About Luis Valdes

Luis Valdes is the Florida State Director and the Director of Outreach for Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands for Gun Owners of America. A life-long advocate of freedom and a firearms shooter, hunter, competitor, and collector. Luis is the first of his family born in the United States of Cuban Immigrants who fled Communism and who’s family saw firsthand what gun control truly results in.Luis Valdes

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Hazcat

Agreed. Just a move by the establishment RINOs to fool the gullible among the 2A community into thinking this is a big deal.

It’s not. Under 21 still can’t get a permit so can’t legally carry without one either, red flag laws still on the books (both being defended in court) and of course no (GASP!) Constitutional (open) carry.

Complete smoke and mirror show.

Orion

good legislation doesn’t happen overnight. a look at Oklahoma, Kansas and now Texas shows it takes a decade with pro2A members through local organizations to achieve true reform one step at a time.

BigRed

Excellent work, now they need to pass more laws making it virtually impossible to nullify or take off the books. Then worry about open carry.
Thanks, Governor Desantis!

FL-GA

A better bill would say something like, “Florida respects all the rights guaranteed by the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

Anything less than that IS unconstitutional.

Desert Guy

GOA has done little -if anything- in VA. VCDL is left to go it alone…

Laddyboy

Maryland appears to be the RED HEADED STEP CHILD that is not really wanted!

KenW

I’m not so sure how much GOA did here either. Louis Valdez actually opposed this “Permitless carry” because it didn’t allow open carry (which is overrated imo, but illegal maybe not). He also supported the amendment that Lee Williams wrote about that would have placed excessive restrictions on how we could carry.

Stag

It’s absolutely disgraceful that the people of a state known as the “gunshine” state with a Republican supermajority have had to fight so hard just to get so little. At least Marion Hammer wasn’t able to screw the pooch on this bill like she did when Florida got permitted concealed carry.

It’s wonderful that Floridians were able to get this without having to give up rights elsewhere. I just hope the citizens keep up the fight alongside GOA at getting the rest of Florida’s gun laws repealed.

Grigori

Congratulations Florida, sort of! Not what was hoped for but a step in the right direction, at least. I wonder how this impacts the part of Florida law that allows CWP holders to carry big knives, brass knuckles, expandable batons, etc. Will everyone now be able to do so legally or will this be relegated only to those with a permit? I never understood why, as is done here in SC, they trust me with a weapon that literally could kill someone blocks away, but if I get caught with a weapon that literally is only effective at arm’s length,… Read more »

KenW

We drove to Louisiana from Florida to deliver a boat, so I looked up the laws in Alabama, Mississippi, and LA. The Florida license is as you posted a “Concealed Weapons License” which was recognized in all three states we would be passing through, except Miss. is firearm not weapon.