FL Governor Ron DeSantis Calls For Constitutional Carry. Why Has The Republican Legislature Blocked It?
This article originally appeared in The Truth About Guns.
March 3, 2022: Governor Ron DeSantis, while at a press event in Panama City, was questioned by a reporter on the status of Constitutional Carry law in Florida. The governor’s response was simple…
“Put it on my desk; I’ll sign it.”
But it hasn’t been sent to his desk. The Florida legislature, under Republican supermajority, has not advanced constitutional carry at all this session nor has it advanced constitutional carry since it was first introduced in the legislature three years ago. Among the other gun rights bills the Republican-controlled legislature hasn’t advanced are campus carry, open carry, and Second Amendment sanctuary.
All they have done is let them die on the vine in committees. Not a single vote.
Earlier this session, Rep. Mcihele Salzman (R) openly stated why it was not advancing.
The Republican legislative leadership was against it, so she wouldn’t support constitutional carry as a “professional courtesy” to her bosses in the capitol. Apparently the idea of giving her constituents a professional courtesy by advancing their Second Amendment rights is too much to ask.
Sadly, though, she isn’t the only one.
Rep. Chuck Brannan (R) literally ran away from answering the question of why Constitutional Carry hasn’t been brought up for a vote.
As if running away from questions wasn’t bad enough, his office trashed Floridians’ Constitutional Carry petitions back on February 22.
This is unacceptable. The Republican governor is now openly calling for it, the people are asking for it, and the legislature is blocking it.
Constitutional carry in Florida isn’t some kind of zany, harebrained scheme hatched by a radical fringe group. It’s supported across the state on a grassroots level and has gained more grassroots support every day. And it’s already the law in 21 other states.
A total of twelve county-level, Florida Republican parties support constitutional carry. Some of them represent major urban areas…
![Republican Party of Miami-Dade resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Miami-Dade-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpeg)
Miami-Dade
![Republican Executive Committee of Hamilton County resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Hamilton-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpeg)
Hamilton County
![Suwannee County Republican Party resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Suwannee-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Suwannee County
![St. Johns County Republican Executive Committee resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/St.-Johns-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
St. Johns County
![Seminole County GOP resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Seminole-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.png)
Seminole County
![Marion County Republican Executive Committee resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Marion-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpeg)
Marion County
![Manatee County Republican Executive Committee resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Manatee-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Manatee County
![Lake County GOP resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Lake-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpeg)
Lake County
![Indian River GOP resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Indian-River-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Indian River
![Hillsborough County Republican Party resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Hillsborough-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.png)
Hillsborough County
![Gulf County Republican Executive Committee resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Gulf-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Gulf County
![Bay County Republican Party of Florida resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Bay-County-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Bay County
Additionally, six major lobbying groups that aren’t traditionally associated with gun rights are supporting FL Constitutional Carry.
![Florida Federation of Young Republicans resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Florida-Federation-of-Young-Republicans-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Florida Federation of Young Republicans
![Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/RLC-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida
![Greater Melrose Republican Liberty Caucus Executive Committee resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/RLC-Greater-Melrose-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Republican Liberty Caucus of Greater Melrose
![Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Florida resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Republican-National-Hispanic-Assembly-of-Florida-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Republican National Hispanic Assembly
![New Tampa Republican Club resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/New-Tampa-Republican-Club-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
New Tampa Republican Club
![Florida Republican Assembly resolution in support of Constitutional Carry](https://www.gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/Florida-Republican-Assembly-Constitutional-Carry-Resolution.jpg)
Florida Republican Assembly
As campaign season starts for the August primaries you will see many of these same lawmakers who are smothering constitutional carry proclaiming how pro-gun they are. And they’ll try to hide the fact that they continue to kill constitutional carry’s progress in Florida.
Enough is enough. Floridians demand Constitutional Carry. If the Republican legislative leadership is the roadblock, maybe it’s time to primary them come August.