2023 Florida Gun Bills Are Clearly Not “Constitutional Carry” Bills - Ammoland.com

 Florida – HB-543 by Rep. Chuck Brannan and SB-150 by Sen. Jay Collins are clearly NOT “Constitutional Carry” bills. The bills should more appropriately be called “Permitless Concealed Carry.”

Even though the bills are NOT “Constitutional Carry”, the bills are a positive step forward for law-abiding gun owners. Both bills remove the requirement of a license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm as is currently required under Florida law and has been required since 1893. (over 125 years)

Under the proposed bills, the concealed weapon and firearm licensing program administered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is still in place and is virtually untouched. Therefore, people who wish to keep or acquire a license to carry concealed may continue to do so as in the past.

Many (maybe most) current license holders will choose to keep the license because it not only provides for reciprocity with other states but in addition, a license holder is exempt from the waiting period between the purchase and delivery of a firearm.

Both bills clearly state that an unlicensed person may carry a concealed weapon or firearm as defined in 790.06(1).

Further, in order to carry a concealed weapon or firearm without a license, a person must satisfy most of the criteria for receiving and maintaining a license under s. 790.06. However, the bills specifically eliminate self-defense as the specific reason for which a person may carry concealed and eliminates the training requirement in order to carry concealed without a license.

Nothing in either bill allows citizens to open carry a weapon or firearm.

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