TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Open carry of firearms officially became law in Florida on Thursday, but gun owners should be aware that it comes with some stipulations.
This comes after a Florida appeals court on Sept. 10 struck down the state's open carry ban, saying it violated the Second Amendment.
According to the court's ruling, the law officially took effect Sept. 25, after the state did not appeal within 15 days.
Florida Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders earlier this week spotted a Capitol police officer carrying a long gun outside a House committee meeting on Tuesday. Saunders was told that it was a precaution following the recent change permitting open carry.
Is Open Carry Allowed Everywhere?
Gun owners should be aware that the ruling does not extend to every establishment.
Florida law outlines 15 locations where open carry is not allowed, saying "a license issued under this section does not authorize any person to openly carry a handgun or carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm into":
1. Any place of nuisance as defined in s. 823.05
2. Any police, sheriff, or highway patrol station
3. Any detention facility, prison or jail
4. Any courthouse
5. Any courtroom, except that nothing in this section precludes a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm or determining who will carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm in his or her courtroom
6. Any polling place
7. Any meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special district
8. Any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof
9. Any school, college, or professional athletic event not related to firearms
10. Any elementary or secondary school facility or administration building
11. Any career center
12. Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to such purpose;
13. Any college or university facility unless the licensee is a registered student, employee, or faculty member of such college or university and the weapon is a stun gun or nonlethal electric weapon or device designed solely for defensive purposes and the weapon does not fire a dart or projectile
14. The inside of the passenger terminal and sterile area of any airport, provided that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, which firearm is encased for shipment for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft
15. Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law
Region St Lucie County
What will open carry look like locally?
Also, the change to open carry only applies to those who are already legally allowed to possess firearms.
After the major shift in law, Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the court's decision, calling it consistent with his position and "the vast majority of states throughout the union."
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has also embraced the outcome. He said the ruling leaves intact other firearm limits, including prohibitions on threatening displays, felons in possession, gun-free zones like schools and courthouses and private property rights to bar firearms.
Uthmeier called it "a big win for the Second Amendment rights of Floridians."
However, Florida Democrats have decried the ruling, saying it will make the state less safe.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried warned the decision could "embolden those who could abuse the ruling's intent to sow seeds of terror."
Nationwide, we are seeing harrowing levels of gun violence, marked by assassinations, school shootings, and people being killed in places of worship. This is a moment in history when we need to promote safer environments," Fried wrote in an online statement.
After this change in Florida law, there are now 46 states that allow open carry in some form.
