Florida becomes 26th state to allow permitless carry of concealed guns
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed into law Monday a measure that will allow people in the state to carry concealed weapons without licenses or training.
Driving the news: With Florida, more than half of U.S. states now allow permitless carry of a concealed weapon.
- The state's Republican-supermajority Legislature advanced the bill last Thursday, after the governor indicated he'd approve it.
- "A constitutional right should not require a permission slip from the government," the governor said during an address to the state Legislature earlier this month. "It is time we joined 25 other states to enact constitutional carry in the state of Florida."
Details: The measure, which will take effect July 1, will allow Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a permit or training.
- Under current law, residents must undergo firearms training, clear a background check and pay fees when applying for a concealed-carry license.
- With the new law, a person will be allowed to carry a concealed weapon without a license if they meet the current requirements needed to obtain a license, including not having been convicted of a felony or found guilty of a crime relating to controlled substances within a three-year period, Axios' Martin Vassolo reports.
The big picture: Florida is now the 26th state where permitless concealed carry is legal. The others include:
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota (for residents only), Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Of note: March for Our Lives, a youth-led organization seeking to end gun violence, protested the bill outside the State Capitol last week.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law.
