Legislation to fine credit card companies for tracking gun purchases heads to DeSantis’ desk
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Legislation that would fine credit card companies for tracking gun and ammunition purchases is heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk after final passage.
The bill, SB 214, comes as the International Organization for Standardization previously declared it would develop a new merchant category code with the express purpose of distinguishing the sale of firearms and ammunition.
The bill passed by a vote of 27-11 in the House Monday and 83-32 in the Senate. The bill was carried by Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, and Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart.
“Categorizing the constitutionally protected right to purchase firearms unfairly singles out law-abiding merchants and consumers,” Snyder said.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson initially announced the plan entitled “The Florida Arms and Ammo Act,” which would fine credit card companies if they track gun purchases in Florida.
“The ‘Florida Arms and Ammo Act’ draws a line in the sand and tells progressive financial institutions that they cannot covertly track, monitor, and report data on Floridians exercising their constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights,” Simpson said after the bill passed.
The legislation would prohibit the use of a merchant category code specifically for firearms and ammunition.
The bill empowers the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to fine companies up to $10,000 for utilizing the new code, guns and ammunition.
Simpson previously told Florida’s Voice this is a “backdoor way of trying to intimidate gun owners.”
In 2022, Visa, Mastercard and American Express announced plans to apply a new sales code to distinguish firearm purchases at U.S. gun stores.
These transactions at firearm stores were formerly labeled as “general merchandise.”
Rep. Hillary Cassel, D-Dania Beach, opposed the bill during debate.
“If you’re a good guy and you’re buying it for the right reasons, it shouldn’t matter, and if you’re a bad guy, this would be an opportunity for us to flag it and have it on record and know and maybe stop something, so I’m all for stopping even one mass shooting. So I’m gonna be down on this bill,” Cassel explained.
During debate, Snyder said said this is a “common sense” bill that “protects our God-given right to bear arms.”
“I’d like to thank our Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and his team for their steadfast work on this issue,” Snyder said.
