TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — (AP) — Floridians will be able to carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Monday.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The new law will allow anyone who can legally own a gun in Florida to carry one without a permit.
It means training and a background check will not be required to carry concealed guns in public. It takes effect July 1.
Watch: Power play: Disney handicapped new Reedy Creek board before handing over control
The arguments over the legislation were divided along political lines, with Republicans saying law-abiding citizens have a right to carry guns and protect themselves.
They say most people will still want to get a permit because it will allow them to carry concealed weapons in states with reciprocal agreements and to be able to purchase guns without a waiting period.
However, Democrats - pointing to mass shootings in Florida like the massacre at the 2016 Pulse nightclub in Orlando and the deadly 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland - say the new law will only make the state more dangerous.
Watch: Gov. DeSantis signs school choice legislation at Miami high school
Nearly 3 million Floridians have a concealed weapons permit. While a background check and three-day waiting period will still be required to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer, they are not required for private transactions or exchanges of weapons.
DeSantis has said he thinks Florida should go even further and allow people to openly carry guns. While some lawmakers have pushed for open carry, it doesn’t appear the Legislature will pass such legislation this session.
Read: Trump vs. DeSantis: Florida pastors mull conservative issues for 2024 nomination
The bill signing comes five years after then-Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, signed a bill creating gun restrictions after 17 students and faculty were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Under DeSantis, momentum has swung back toward expanding gun rights rather than placing limits on them.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
