On April 3, 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill allowing Florida residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit or training. The new law is set to take effect on July 1, making Florida the 26th state to allow residents to carry firearms without a permit.   

The bill was signed without public notification and quickly passed both chambers before being signed into law. The Florida House approved the bill with a vote of 76 to 32. Nearly all amendments put forward by the Democratic Party failed.   

Florida Sen. Jay Collins supported the measure and stated, “in the free state of Florida, government will not get in the way of law-abiding Americans who want to defend themselves and their families.”   

DeSantis added, “A constitutional right should not require a permission slip from the government.”.   

While some groups have argued against the law, discussing the safety of Florida residents, supporters of DeSantis, such as Al Nienhuis Sherrif of Hernando County, have countered the argument. Stating that, Criminals aren’t the ones applying for gun permits, and allowing Florida residents to carry firearms without a permit simply ensures Floridians’ safety and ability to protect themselves.   

Considering the recent spike in school shootings, the legislation does include some school safety measures. However, Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, an adviser with the gun safety advocacy group Giffords stated that this bill is putting “criminals above our children,” adding that thousands of people in prior years have been denied a concealed carry permit for not meeting eligibility.   

However, like many other of DeSantis’s recent actions, this could be a way to secure the right-wing vote during the 2024 presidential election. Especially considering that gun owners formed many of Trump’s supporters during the 2016 election, one of the many candidates DeSantis will be running against in 2024. DeSantis has already “taken on” many issues in Florida, including LGBT+ students and children’s rights and implementing a 15-week abortion ban. However, he continues to take more devastating steps to win over the “conservative vote” if he ultimately decides to run for president.