Gun Owners of America Files Lawsuit Against Florida State Government Over Open Carry Prohibition

Will Florida catch up with the rest of Republican-controlled states on gun rights?

On August 6, 2024 , Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Gun Owners Foundation teamed up to file a federal lawsuit in South Florida, taking on the state’s prohibition on the open carry of firearms. Currently, Florida has the dubious distinction of being one of the few states such as New York, Illinois, and California where open carry is still completely banned.  

Governor Ron DeSantis has previously indicated his support for signing an open carry bill into law. By contrast, Republican leaders in the state legislature have openly stated that they’re not interested in passing open carry legislation. This is rather odd for a state that enjoys large margins in the State House (84-36) and State Senate (28-12). However, it’s another sign that Republicans can’t always be trusted to deliver the goods on gun rights issues. 

Erich Pratt GOA’s Senior Vice President, put out the following statement: 

“Florida lawmakers claim to be pro-gun, but year after year, they’ve refused to repeal the 1987 ban on open carry, leaving Floridians in the very anti-gun company of New York, Illinois, and California where this is also prohibited. 

“GOA has been left with no choice but to sue the state, especially since GOA’s open carry bill was blocked by the Republican legislative leadership during the 2024 session's first week.   

“This ban has no historical basis and will surely be found unconstitutional under the Bruen precedent. We look forward to making our case and fighting for law-abiding Floridians.” 

Despite solid Republican control, Florida has a mediocre 22nd place ranking according to Guns & Ammo magazine’s best states for gun owners rankings. The state still has work to do on gun rights overall. It’s ultimately up to pro-gun lobbies like GOA to continue putting pressure on the political class to do the right thing and pass pro-gun reforms. 

The lawsuit in question can be read here.