Overview

• Florida’s First District Court of Appeal on Sept. 10 struck down the 1987 open-carry prohibition as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, with Judge Stephanie Ray writing that history supports the open bearing of arms.
• Attorney General James Uthmeier told police and prosecutors to stop enforcing or defending open-carry cases, saying “open carry is the law of the state,” and the Florida Sheriffs Association advised counties to cease arrests.
• Restrictions still apply, including bans on guns in schools, courthouses, polling places and other sensitive locations, prohibitions on threatening displays and felons possessing firearms, and private property owners’ rights to bar guns.
• Agencies across South Florida and elsewhere are updating training and policies and warning of likely confusion and more 911 calls as visible carrying becomes common, while officials like Jimmy Patronis urge gun owners to understand the limits.
• Further judicial steps such as rehearing or Florida Supreme Court review remain possible, but with the attorney general declining to appeal, the ruling is already driving statewide changes and drawing praise from gun-rights groups and criticism from Democrats.