On March 4, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis gave his State of the State address to the Florida legislature. In the address, Governor DeSantis vocalized his support for restoring Second Amendment rights. Second Amendment statements start about minute 24 into the speech:
The free state of Florida has not exactly led the way on protecting Second Amendment rights. We have some of the more “weak” laws on the country compared to our other states who consider themselves conservative. I would ask you to protect peoples Second Amendment Rights. Look back in instances where legislation may have been passed in recent years, such as shifting the burden on red flag laws, such as taking away the rights of young adults to be able to purchase firearms, such as limiting somebody’s ability to both keep and bear arms.
Governor DeSantis asked the legislature to protect people’s Second Amendment Rights. He particularly mentioned Red Flag laws, pointing out those laws do not provide proper due process. He stated Florida should not ban young adults from being able to purchase long guns.
In this video on the Florida channel, Governor DeSantis spoke with reporters directly after the State of the State address. Governor DeSantis discusses open carry, starting at 8:25. An abbreviated clip can be seen on X.
DESANTIS CALLS FOR OPEN CARRY, RED FLAG LAW REVISIONS
“In spite of us saying we’re a free state, we’ve definitely lagged on that issue.”
OPEN CARRY: “We see other states that have laws that respect that – I’m for it, I’ve always been for it. If you talk to most gun owners -… pic.twitter.com/qdaSvqWwQt
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 4, 2025
In the press session, after the speech, Governor DeSantis expounds on Second Amendment issues. DeSantis makes arguments often made by Second Amendment supporters. He stresses the Second Amendment protects open carry. He believes most gun owners will not open carry very often, but they want to have the right to open carry to be recognized and protected.
“We see other states that have laws that respect that – I’m for it, I’ve always been for it. If you talk to most gun owners – very few will actually open carry. They just want to know they can, it’s a constitutional right. I’m for open carry.”
“Reevaluate recent legislation [things] like red flag law[s] […] You can go in and say, ‘this person’s a danger, they should have their firearms taken away…’ then the burden shifts, where you have to prove to a court you are not a menace or a threat. That’s not the way due process works… I think it’s a huge due process violation.”
If Florida restores open carry to the state beyond the very limited legal open carry now allowed, only three states will effectively ban it: California, Illinois, and New York. Governor DeSantis notes that most states have open carry, and problems with it are essentially non-existent.
The movement to restore limited, Constitutional government has long been intertwined with the restoration of Second Amendment rights. This correspondent recalls a conversation on an Internet discussion and news aggregation site about 15 years ago. One of the participants wrote, essentially:
I have often wondered if the Second Amendment would be the key to restoring the Constitution, not in a bloody revolution, but because the violation of Second Amendment rights is so blatant, it cannot be denied.
The comment has proved to be prescient. Second Amendment supporters have been a key faction of the coalition to restore Constitutional government. The struggle to preserve the Republic will never be over. There is a long, long way to go. In the roughly 60 years this correspondent has been aware and involved, public awareness of the issue has never been more informed.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Without the 2nd, you can’t have the first and the rest.
Desantis has been governor with Republican majorities, super majorities in both houses of the state legislature for how long?
And now, in 2025, the first year of Trump’s second term in the White House, NOW he suddenly cares about 2A?
Bullshit.
He’s planning on 2028.
As stated Govenor stated, most people would rarely exercise open carry. However, it is good that the state recognizes the right to open carry due to people accidently showing their concealed guns. In some cases, someone sees a gun and panics and calls the police. The gun owner is then subjected to questioning and possibly arrest. Being on a range it is impossible to carry concealed. Going to and from your vehicle whether at the range or hunting, open carry comes in handy. Plus, the more people see other people carrying openly, the more people get use to see guns… Read more »
I live in Florida and would really enjoy open carry. However, it will most likely not happen in the near future.
We have too many Snow Turds from northeastern Sh*t holes and other places like Illinois! The Sheriffs Departments would be constantly called by these misguided miscreants! I hope someday it will change for the better! OUR second amendment rights should never be second class rights!
Let’s hope that these revisions he speaks of becomes federal law and we can rid ourselves of red flag laws and laws that keep younger people that can fight and die for this country from owning a gun.
DeSantis will make a great president to clean up the pile of crap, formerly known as the USofA, left after the orange orangutan is finished fuking up the US and the world in general. Of course that is why I voted for him in 2024 ;-).