Florida state Senate approves carrying loaded and concealed weapons without permits

This Thursday the Florida Senate passed a bill that would allow citizens of this state to carry concealed firearms while loaded without a permit. Now the proposal will be received by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who has already said he will sign it.

The GOP-dubbed "constitutional carry" bill eliminates Florida's requirement to obtain a concealed and loaded handgun permit, which requires background checks and training before carrying.

Currently, to carry a concealed, loaded handgun in public in Florida, you must be licensed by the state. However, with this measure, they will only be required to have a valid ID while in possession of the weapon, as failure to do so may result in a $25 fine.

However, it is important to note that this bill will not give those persons who are prohibited from purchasing or carrying guns by other Florida laws permission to carry loaded and concealed weapons.

Senator Jay Collins' legislation which had already been approved last week by the state House of Representatives, with a vote of 76 to 32, managed to move forward in the Republican-majority Senate with 27 votes in favor and 13 against, with Senator Ileana Garcia being the only red party legislator who did not agree with the initiative.

According to the Concealed Carry Association of America, if Ron DeSantis signs the bill, as he has said he would in the past, Florida will become the 26th state to pass a law allowing citizens to carry concealed and loaded weapons without a permit. Other states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming and North Dakota.