Florida Cities Want Power To Impose Local Gun Laws

Can cities in the state of Florida essentially ignore the state’s firearm preemption law that leaves gun regulation up to the state legislature?

Absolutely, or so argue attorneys for a number of local politicians across the state that are challenging a 2011 law that allows officials to be fined or removed from office if they willfully violate the state’s preemption statute.

The state’s First District Court of Appeals heard arguments in that challenge on Monday, after a district court judge ruled back in July of 2019 that the 2011 law ruled the law to be unconstitutional, while upholding the underlying firearms preemption statute approved by lawmakers in 1987. In essence, the decision rendered the preemption law utterly toothless, which is why Attorney General Ashley Moody, Gov. Ron DeSantis appealed the decision to the First District.