Groups Challenge Florida Open Carry Ban

Gun Owners of America (GOA) and other Second Amendment groups have filed a federal lawsuit challenging Florida's ban on openly carrying firearms, arguing it violates the Second Amendment and is inconsistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, names St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson and State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl as defendants. The plaintiffs claim the ban, which dates back to 1893, was rooted in racial discrimination, targeting newly freed Blacks while allowing Whites de facto immunity. This legal action follows the Florida legislature's decision to allow concealed carry without permits but maintain the open-carry prohibition. The Florida Supreme Court upheld the ban in 2017, but the plaintiffs believe the recent Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen (2022) strengthens their case.