A group called Florida Gun Rights is urging state legislators to pass a bill that would allow open carry for firearms. They also want to repeal a red flag law designed to prevent individuals considered a threat from purchasing guns. Earlier today, the group released the following statement:
Tallahassee, FL – Florida Gun Rights, the Florida affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights, endorsed State Representative Joel Rudman’s House Bill 31 to legalize Open Carry and put an end to the Sunshine State’s “Red Flag” gun confiscation law today.
“Legalizing Open Carry and repealing “Red Flag” gun confiscation are critical pieces of restoring the full breadth of Second Amendment rights in Florida,” explained Matt Mammoser, FLGR’s Director of Legislation. “The real question is, will anti-gun politicians like Senate President Ben Albritton ignore gun owners across the state and keep Florida on the list of states banning open carry like Illinois, Connecticut, and even California or will they finally defend the Second Amendment,” Mammoser asked.
The legislative process to pass HB 31 wouldn’t be the first-time gun owners in Florida seek to overcome GOP leadership to pass pro-Second Amendment legislation. It took several years before Constitutional Carry passed the legislature for Governor Ron DeSantis to eagerly sign in 2023.
“We worked with thousands of gun rights supporters throughout the state to overcome the resistance of weak-kneed Republicans in order to pass Constitutional Carry and we’ll continue to do the same with HB 31, even against Albritton’s attempt to sell out the caucus to the Gun Control Lobby,” explained Dustin Curtis, Director of State Affairs for the National Association for Gun Rights.
While Republican Florida Senate President Ben Albritton previously told reporters he stands in “opposition” to efforts to legalize Open Carry, Governor Ron DeSantis had a different tone when he indicated Open Carry legalization is on the table this session.
Dustin Curtis noted NAGR and FLGR’s efforts to make Governor DeSantis’ statement a reality. “I’ve spoken to many gun owners frustrated with so-called Republicans like Albritton who fail to advance their Second Amendment Rights by opposing legislation like HB 31. Their inaction isn’t going unnoticed and we won’t stop mobilizing grassroots Patriots in support of pro-gun legislation,” Curtis concluded.
Florida Gun Rights is one of the fastest-growing “no compromise” pro-gun organizations in the Sunshine State. FLGR is the Florida affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights, the nation’s largest “no compromise” pro-gun organization, with 4.5 million members nationwide.
