DeSantis Quietly Signs Concealed Permitless Carry Bill into Law

With only the bill’s sponsors and supporters like the National Rifle Association in attendance, the governor made Florida the 26th state to pass permitless carry legislation. The Sunshine State is ranked #2 in mass shootings across the nation. 

On Monday Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that allows residents to carry a concealed loaded weapon without a permit. Only the bill sponsors, legislative leaders, and gun rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, were in attendance. 

“Governor DeSantis just signed permitless carry into law behind closed doors, probably because he knows it’s dangerous and unpopular,” tweeted Giffords Law Center, an organization dedicated to promoting common-sense gun laws across the nation.

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This makes Florida the 26th state to pass some form of permitless carry legislation. The Sunshine State is also ranked #2 in mass shootings across the nation. More alarmingly, guns are also the third-leading cause of death for Florida children ages 1–17, according to data provided by Giffords.

“Today is indeed a day to celebrate,” Randy Kozuch, interim executive director of the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association, said in a statement.  

“Things Are Too Dangerous Right Now”

But not for advocates of common-sense gun safety measures like former Democratic US Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a longtime gun safety advocate. 

“When you have more guns in the streets, it results in more violence,” Mucarsel-Powell told Floricua. Sen. Victor (Vic) Torres, Jr., a Boricua Democrat representing south Orange and north Osceola counties, agrees with Murcarsel-Powell. 

“You just don’t let anybody buy a gun and carry it on them and say ‘you don’t have to have a permit. You don’t have to have training. You don’t have to go through a background check.’ Things are too dangerous right now in our communities,” Torres, Jr. told Floricua. 

After the bill was signed, DeSantis’ office issued a statement saying only that “Constitutional Carry is in the books.”