Floridians will be able to carry concealed weapons without a permit, under a new law signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis signed into law HB 543 on Monday. It comes into effect on July 1.
With 27 votes in favor and 13 against, the Florida Senate, with a Republican majority like the lower House of the state, approved this bill which its defenders called “public safety” and which was widely criticized by Democrats and pro-gun control organizations. .
In April of last year, DeSantis announced he would sign legislation allowing state residents to carry a firearm without a license, which he called “constitutional carrying.”
Until now, Floridians needed a permit to carry them in public, so this law would eliminate that requirement and the requirement for prior training in the use of weapons.
The term “Constitutional Carry” refers to the right to carry a firearm, covertly or openly, thanks to the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which gives the American people the right to own and bear arms.
In Florida, according to data released by NBC6, Telemundo’s sister channel 51, nearly 3 million people have concealed weapons permits.
Approval did not occur before several hours of debate.
The bill on the carrying of weapons aims to facilitate the carrying without authorization or prior training.
State Senator Jason Pizzo, a Democrat and one of those who opposed the new legislation, made his point. “I’m not worried about mass shootings because of this bill, I’m worried about mass idiots,” the Democratic senator from Hollywood said, adding that people are going to die simply because of neglect .
State Sen. Ed Hooper of the Republican Party defended the law. “We hope that one day someone will prevent a child from being killed at school or a teacher or an employee. If that’s all that comes out of this bill, then we win.”
The whole project is not dedicated to firearms. State Sen. Alexis Calatayud, a Republican from Miami-Dade, said she is considering $60 million “in school safety efforts.”
But Democrats point out that guns have become the number one killer of children in the United States.
Ileana Garcia, another Miami-Dade Republican, was the only one to cross party lines and vote against carrying guns without a license. He has not commented since his vote.
After the bill was approved, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said it was an unlicensed transportation bill “that could make it easier for people to carry guns.” criminals”.
“Some law enforcement officials have warned that this could make our communities less safe,” Fried said.
The governor, for his part, had said he favored going further with carrying guns openly in the public eye, but would sign off on whatever the legislature passed.