The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed legislation Thursday allowing people to carry concealed weapons anywhere without permission.
The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has repeatedly indicated he will sign it.
The would measure scrap metal existing requirements for concealed weapons permits, including an additional layer of background checks, licenses and firearms training.
Under current Florida law, individuals wishing to carry concealed weapons in public must obtain a license from the state and meet these requirements in order to obtain it. People who are prohibited from buying or carrying guns under other Florida laws still could not do so under the new law.
The Senate passed the law on Thursday afternoon. The House of Representatives passed its corresponding bill last week. Republican lawmakers enjoy a supermajority in both chambers.
Under the bill — referred to as “constitutional carry” by conservatives and gun rights activists, and “permitted carry” by gun safety activists, gun restriction supporters, and neutral groups — People would only need to carry valid IDs while carrying concealed weapons. Failure to do so would result in a $25 fine.
The Senate passage comes just three days after a gunman opened fire at a school in Nashville, Tennessee. six people killed – including three 9-year-old children – an attack DeSantis has yet to publicly discuss. He is planned to visit a gun shop in the Atlanta area Thursday – a visit by the Democrats to Georgia begged to reschedule him.
Democrats slapped Republicans for passing the bill within moments of its passage and singled out DeSantis for criticism.
“Florida Republicans have delivered exactly what Ron DeSantis asked for in his shameless attempt to raise his national profile and win over the MAGA base,” Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said in a statement.
DeSantis, a likely presidential candidate for 2024He has repeatedly suggested he will sign the measure, saying in recent months that it “was something I have always supported” and “will be done” in the legislature. He has that too promised to deliver such a bill before he leaves office.
“A constitutional right should not require a government permit. It’s time we joined 25 other states to enact a constitutional broadcast in the state of Florida,” he said in his State of the State address to the Legislature this month.
A spokesman did not respond to questions about whether and when DeSantis would sign the measure.
If the law becomes law, Florida — the site of the 2016 mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando and the 2018 fair Shoot at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland – will be the 26th State allowing people to carry concealed loaded guns anywhere without a permit, a growing trend that has alarmed gun safety groups.
Such groups spent a lot of money on advertising to drum up opposition to the law, but given the GOP majority in the legislature, it always faced an easy path to passage.
Invoice packed Measures the Republican lawmaker said would increase school safety, such as B. Creating a standardized process for assessing school threats and expanding a program that allows school district employees to carry guns into schools. Democrats blasted the combination as a political ploy to make the permitless carry proposal more palatable to voters.
The permitless-carry law was one of several priorities DeSantis prioritized for the current legislative session as he prepared a roadmap for policy positions ahead of his prospective 2024 bid.
Lawmakers will also review bills in the current session to further limit diversity efforts at public universities and expand the ability to sue media for defamation — all measures that help shed light on the direction of a prospective DeSantis presidential campaign.
This will be voted on in the Senate on Thursday an abortion ban after six weeks of pregnancy. The measure faces a final committee vote in the House of Representatives this week before receiving a full chamber vote.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Source : news.yahoo.com