Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly signs permitless carry bill within hours of it landing on his desk

Commentary

Why are these men smiling?

From the Tallahassee Democrat and Palm Beach Post:

Florida tipped the advantage to states with more permissiable gun laws Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly signed a bill that eliminates licensing requirements to carry a concealed firearm in most public places.

The Florida Senate voted 27-13 last week on HB 543 and DeSantis signed it as quickly as he got it in a closed-door gathering with supporters, making Florida the 26th state that does not require a concealed weapons license.

In a nod to DeSantis’ efforts to burnish his conservative credentials ahead of a likely run for the White House, FOX News went online with a story about the signing at 10:20 a.m. – twenty-eight minutes before Florida reporters received a notice from the DeSantis press office that he had even received the bill from the Legislature.

Think about this:

• The bill passed the Senate by a margin of 67%-33%;

• DeSantis was so enamored of the bill that he signed it as quickly as he got it;

• Perhaps not so sure his constituents were quite as thrilled by permitless carry, he signed the bill behind closed doors;

• Recognizing that the majority of his constituents were not in favor of this bill but certain that Fox News devouring Floridians would be, he released the news of the signing to Fox before notifying the mainstream media.

As the above photo reveals, a photo released by the “NRA-Institute for Legislative Action” since I’m assuming no real journalists were allowed behind those closed doors, the normally grim-faced DeSantis signed the bill with an uncharacteristic grin surrounded by smiling, may I suggest, smarmy, NRA members.

This law which allows people to carry concealed weapons without a permit or training, overturns a law that required gun owners to obtain a license to carry concealed weapons. In order to obtain that license, gun owners were required to take training courses and pass background checks.

The bill was signed by DeSantis despite a poll by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab that found 77% of Floridians, including 62% of Republicans, do not support allowing people to carry a weapon without a license.

As the newspaper report indicates, the new law makes Florida the 26th state that does not require a concealed weapons license. Let me do the math: that means more than half the states in this great country, this land of the (now really) free have made the cynically named Constitutional Carry Law the law of their lands!

Think about that when you take your next road trip.

But wait, there’s more on the Florida horror movie front.

The Florida Senate yesterday passed a bill that will ban most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy–before most people know they’re pregnant. The debate leading up to the vote was interrupted several times by protesters leading Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to clear the gallery. Although two GOP senators voted with Democrats, the bill passed 26-13 (still two-thirds). Ironic, isn’t it, that 67% of Florida’s senators voted for this abortion ban when, according to a poll from Florida Atlantic University, 67% of Floridians want abortion legal in most or all cases.

Guns and abortions. What is it about the Florida electorate that compels them to elect candidates who pass laws that are against their own self interests? In 2004 journalist and historian Thomas Frank wrote a book, “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” The book dealt with this anti-self interest anomaly in the “Sunflower State.” It might be time for a follow-up book about the “Sunshine State”–”What’s the Matter with Florida?”