Open carry may be up for discussion again in the Florida House.
Navarre’s Republican Rep. Joel Rudman filed the legislation (HB 31) Monday that also would repeal the state’s Red Flag law—a mechanism that lets law enforcement remove guns from people who are found to be a danger to themselves or others.
“[HB-31] reiterates my commitment to freedom and to the Constitution," Rudman stated in a Facebook post. “As my first bill for the 2025 session, I have filed a comprehensive piece of legislation that restores and protects our inalienable rights as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.”
Rudman’s bill goes against Florida’s Senate President Ben Albritton, who says open carry is too dangerous.
“If a bill gets filed that deals with that, then we’ll take a close look at it to see what the implications are," Albritton told reporters before the bill was filed. "But at the end of the day, it's due real caution.”
The proposal would also revise the list of places where firearms are currently prohibited. If passed, guns could be carried on college campuses and into polling places.
Rudman, who is a family medicine practitioner, is running for Congress in a special election. That means he will not be around during Session to vote on his bill. Rudman submitted his resignation, effective Jan. 1.
Despite this, he said it's a step toward protecting gun rights in Florida.
"I look forward to our state once again earning the title of the Gunshine State, where citizens are no longer asked to trade God-given freedoms for a politician’s empty promise of security," said Rudman.
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