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Jessica Baker, a Republican Florida Representative serving the 17th district, has suggested that Floridians could enjoy permitless firearms carry rules in three weeks. Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed his support for permitless carry legislation in the past, and suggested last year that this year would bring permitless carry to Floridians. Rep. Baker made the comments during an interview with Brendon Leslie, founder and editor of Florida’s Voice. Watch the interview below:
Gun rights activists in Florida are pushing the Republican legislature to go even further than permitless concealed carry and to include permitless open carry. Florida’s Voice reporter Ernesto Sampera writes:
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Republican leadership responded to advocates who wanted open carry included in the permitless carry legislation.
The permitless carry bill, HB 543, would allow Floridians to carry a concealed weapon regardless of whether they possess a concealed weapons permit. Other states have adopted a more broad approach including open carry, which permits citizens carrying firearms in plain view.
The House and Senate are considering permitless carry legislation that does not include open carry. However, in previous committees, some people believed the permitless carry legislation did not go far enough.
DeSantis expressed his support for the current proposed permitless carry bill as well as legalizing open carry in Florida.
“So I’ve been very clear, I support all of it,” DeSantis said. “Now I’m going to sign what they do. So if they do a permitless carry bill, and that gets to my desk, you know, I’m not going to veto that because it didn’t necessarily include everything I want.”
Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, held a joint press conference Tuesday following the governor’s State of the State Address.
Renner characterized the bill as “moving forward on the Second Amendment.”
“The bottom line, though, is after this bill passes is that people will have a constitutional right to carry for their own self defense and those of others,” Renner said. “The fact that it doesn’t include open carry still gives them the right to carry without that permission slip.”
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