‘Open carry’ will not be considered on House floor
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – An amendment to legalize “open carry” was withdrawn a day before the House floor is expected to consider permitless carry legislation Thursday.
The permitless carry bill, HB 543, would allow Floridians to carry a concealed weapon regardless of whether they possess a concealed weapons permit.
Florida Rep. Mike Beltran, R-Riverview, had previously filed an amendment to legalize “open carry.”
“Open carry” policies allow citizens to carry firearms in plain view.
Beltran told the Florida Phoenix he withdrew the amendment Wednesday afternoon because it was not the “right time.”
“I think it’s good policy, but this wasn’t the right vehicle or the right time,” Beltran told the Phoenix. “I think that we can try to lock in permitless and then where we can get this another time.”
The amendment would have allowed for a lawful person to openly carry a handgun in a level two or greater retention device.
As the permitless carry legislation has made its way through its designated committee stops, many people urged lawmakers to support “open carry.”
They did not believe it went far enough, criticizing lawmakers for “misrepresenting” the bill as “Constitutional Carry.”
Republican leadership responded to “open carry” advocates earlier this month.
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, characterized the bill without “open carry” as still “moving forward on the Second Amendment.” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said the sheriffs have recommended not legalizing “open carry.”
DeSantis expressed his support for the current proposed permitless carry bill as well as legalizing open carry in Florida. He would sign whichever bill landed on his desk.
Current Florida law requires people receive a permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in order to carry a concealed weapon.
The law requires citizens to complete a basic firearm safety course in order to obtain a concealed weapons permit.
The proposed legislation would do away with that requirement but would keep the system to receive a permit in place.
Florida Democrats have called the current form of the permitless carry legislation “danger.”
“Floridians deserve the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said. “And as the current data available to us shows, this will not make Floridians safer.”
