Beginning July 1 you will no longer need a permit to conceal and carry a gun in Florida. The new law is creating some excitement and alarm.
Gun owners won’t need any training to carry a gun either.
Florida has become the 26th state that does not require a concealed licenses permit, however, there are some important rules that people will still need to follow.
PREVIOUS STORY: Permitless carry law goes into effect July 1
Maurisun Hess works at Guns4Less in Cape Coral, he stressed it is important for people to know that does not mean a gun can be carried just anywhere.
Hess is urging gun training although it’s no longer required.
“There are a lot of benefits to having it, including getting educated on the laws and waiving the three-day wait period,” Hess noted.
He points out that guns must be hidden from public sight at all times.
“A lot of people think they can carry on their hips and stuff. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen come to Florida and they’re open carrying and they don’t even realize we don’t have open carry here,” Hess said.
According to state data from The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, there are more than 160,000 concealed carry permits that already exist in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.
That same data showed that in 1999 there were just over 28,000 concealed carry permit applications in Florida. That number surged to 362 million in 2020.
So doing away with the permits is creating controversy. Cameron Acorn is the manager of Shoot Center in Fort Myers and said he is hearing from many customers who are for the changes and others who are against doing away with concealed carry.
Kathy Fretthold is one of the people opposed.
“That’s alarming to me! I don’t have any problem with carrying a concealed weapon because that means you have been screened and there is a procedure you followed,” Fretthold stated.
Gun carrier Erica Bailey of Cape Coral sees it differently.
“I think you already do have people with experience carrying guns. Gang members don’t actually go out to the range and hang out and take classes for that type of stuff,” Bailey responded.
The new law has its limits as people still can’t carry guns in schools, bars or government buildings.
If you’re visiting Florida or are a nonresident, you can still carry a gun without a concealed carry permit as long as you’re 21 and a U.S. citizen.
The post Florida’s permitless concealed carry law takes effect July 1 appeared first on NBC2 News.
