When Gov. Ron DeSantis doubled down this past December on his commitment to bring permitless carry to Florida, we knew we'd have a fight on our hands in the state legislature.
The stakes are high: If permitless carry passes, this reckless policy would allow people to carry loaded, concealed handguns in public—without a background check or any safety training. Even after multiple deadly mass shootings have devastated communities across the U.S. in the first few weeks of 2023, Republican leaders in both the Florida State House and Senate are STILL advancing permitless carry.
So what now? As usual, our statewide network of volunteers were already prepared to fight back.
Volunteers with Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action testified at a Florida House committee hearing in Tallahassee this week.
The Florida chapter of Moms Demand Action volunteers—some of whom are survivors of gun violence themselves—have been working tirelessly with community leaders across the state and with gun safety allies in the legislature to stop or weaken the bills.
And Students Demand Action volunteer leaders are right there with them, while at the same time organizing students in their high schools and on college campuses to hold their legislators and the gun industry accountable.
The Miami Herald recently published an op-ed penned by Catherine Allen, volunteer and president of Florida State University's Students Demand Action group. Here, Catherine makes a strong case for why permitless carry is dangerous for Florida—and why some lawmakers are pushing it forward anyway:
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"Despite being a dangerous and unpopular policy, Florida lawmakers continue to prioritize permitless carry because they are catering to the gun lobby that puts the industry’s bottom line above the safety of American communities. Dangerous gun laws like permitless carry are critical to the industry’s business model because they put more weapons in more hands with less responsibility. And instead of standing up to that industry, lawmakers are bowing to it, trying to score political points. And we are the ones left with trauma and grief in exchange for their profit."
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Florida isn't the only state where the future of gun safety is on the line.
State leaders in Arizona and West Virginia are advancing dangerous legislation to allow students to carry firearms on college campuses. And the gun lobby's priorities are advancing in other states, like Tennessee, where Republican leaders have introduced a bill that would lower the age requirement to carry loaded handguns in public without a permit or a background check to include 18-20 year olds.
In several states, our movement is making significant progress: Lawmakers in Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Washington, and other states have introduced new gun safety bills that would further strengthen gun laws in those states to curb gun violence and make our communities safer.
The first half of 2023 is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for our gun laws. As we continue our advocacy for strong gun safety laws in Washington, DC, and in state capitols across the country, we'll keep you updated about key developments and let you know about opportunities to take action as part of our state and local advocacy efforts in District of Columbia.
Thank you so much for being a part of this movement. We couldn't do it without you.
Onward,
Everytown for Gun Safety
Fighting for gun safety in every single state would be impossible without our thousands of incredible volunteers. And when we're going toe-to-toe with the gun lobby, it requires a lot of financial resources, too—that's why we rely on grassroots donors to keep us going. If you'd like to support Everytown, Moms Demand Action, and Students Demand Action, make an online donation of any amount today.
