Earlier this month, Florida’s First District Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the state’s contentious ban on the open carry of firearms—even by concealed carry permit holders—was unconstitutional.
This led Florida Attorney General James Uthmeir (R) to declare that the state now recognized the right to open carry. He quickly sent a letter to law enforcement and prosecution officials lauding the decision as correct and ordering them to “refrain from arresting or prosecuting law-abiding citizens carrying a firearm in a manner that is visible to others.”
Florida joined the proud ranks of states recognizing open carry rights
Thursday was the last day for state officials in Tallahassee to appeal the First District decision. The good news is that the state’s current pro-Second Amendment leadership was never going to challenge the court’s ruling.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) declared the new status “aligns state policy with my long-held position and with the vast majority of states throughout the Union.”
It also meant the Sunshine State could finally get away from the ignominious group of anti-gun bastions it previously belonged to. California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Illinois are hardly shining beacons of individual liberties.
Two of the remaining open carry bans are under challenge
That’s not the grouping one would expect Florida to have a membership in, and now that’s corrected. There were several previous attempts by gun rights stalwarts to reverse this injustice, but until a few weeks ago, they were all unsuccessful.
New Jersey prohibited open carry, even with a permit, beginning in 2022, and Connecticut followed the next year. As for California, gun owners in some rural areas of the state may carry their guns openly.
The open carry bans in New Jersey and California are currently under challenge in the courts. Indeed, more lawsuits are likely on the horizon to rectify this situation.
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