In a significant shift for gun laws in the Sunshine State, the Florida First District Court of Appeal has deemed the state’s ban on the open carry of firearms unconstitutional. This decision has been enacted with immediate effect as informed by Attorney General James Uthmeier last Monday. Consequently, open carry is now legal across Florida, marking a pivotal change in the state’s firearm policies. The ruling has been met with mixed responses from the public and officials, as reported by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Following this development, Sheriff Rick Wells of Manatee County issued a statement, as reported by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, outlining the continued restrictions under the new legal framework. “The open (and concealed) carry of handguns is prohibited in sensitive areas,” stated Sheriff Wells, listing venues including government meetings, law enforcement offices, bars, and educational institutions as places where openly carrying firearms remains unlawful. While open carry advocates celebrate, the sheriff emphasized adherence to the remaining regulations.
There remains a set of surroundings where openly bearing arms is strictly forbidden. Emphasized by Sheriff Wells, these locations are Board of County Commission meetings, City Commission/Council meetings, courthouses, police stations and Sheriff’s offices, bars (including bar areas of restaurants), and schools, as well as school-related events, even encompassing higher education premises. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office also clarified that carrying a firearm in a “rude or careless” manner is not permitted…