On Monday, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner announced a permitless carry proposal.
The proposal named and modeled after similar legislation in other states would allow Floridians to conceal carry firearms without a permit. Floridians will still need to seek license for reciprocity for conceal carrying in other states.
"Floridians shouldn’t need a government permission slip to exercise their constitutional rights," Renner said. "House Bill 543 will ensure Florida will remain a beacon of freedom. Florida was the pioneer in the modern carry movement in America and this historic legislation continues our proud tradition."
The bill does not allow for "open carry."
"It’s about time. Florida is taking this huge step and what we’re doing is checking off the box again and showing that Florida is the freedom state, and showing that citizens have the right to protect themselves," said Sheriff Wayne Ivey during the press conference.
"This bill gives our citizens the ability to exercise their second amendment, to protect themselves, their family, those around them in church, those around them at the movie theater, or anywhere they may become the victim of a violent attack."
Floridians are currently required to receive a conceal carry permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. However, Floridians conceal carrying without a permit will still be required to respect existing conceal carrying laws in schools, athletic events, and correctional facilities, Florida's Voice reported.
The bill does not affect laws regarding firearm purchases.
Florida state representative Chuck Brannon and State Senator Jay Collins, both Republicans, have cosponsored the bill.
"Maintaining a permit is often wise when traveling out of state, as other states may require non residents to still have a permit from their state of residence. People don’t have to carry if they don’t want to. But this is a constitutional authority that people have," Brannan said.
"Thanks to the leadership of Governor DeSantis, who has repeatedly stood up for individual rights and freedoms, we will take this monumental step to ensure that government does not interfere with a law abiding citizen’s ability to protect themselves and their families," said Collins.
"I know I can speak for my fellow sheriffs in saying that we don’t know of any criminal that ever planned to do a drive by shooting and in the process said ‘oh, I’ve got to go get my permit first.’ They’re gonna break the law regardless of whether the permit’s in place or not," Sheriff Al Nienhuis said.
Florida's House Speaker further detailed additional legislation would be introduced, "not only to go after gun crime, people that are stealing guns out of cars, as the Sheriff mentioned, and using them in gang violence, but also to continue to expand the rights for law abiding citizens."
"What you don’t want is to have a gun government bureaucrat stymie your ability to exercise your constitutional rights," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis previously said following the Supreme Court of the United States' expanding the ability for Americans to seek conceal carry permits in their respective states.
DeSantis further reiterated his support for permitless conceal carry legislation in December.
