A pair of court rulings declaring some of Florida’s gun restrictions unconstitutional are creating some confusion in the notoriously firearm friendly state.
Siding with a 19-year-old man who was spotted with a gun in his waistband, a Broward County circuit judge Friday ruled that a state law barring people under age 21 from carrying concealed weapons violates Second Amendment rights.
Two Jacksonville women have been charged with violating the recently enacted Halo law, which protects first responders by requiring a 25-foot buffer zone during arrests. The incident occurred while a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer was attempting to arrest 39-year-old Erika McGriff on multiple charges, including battery on a law enforcement officer.
A federal judge has blocked a key part of a new law that imposed additional restrictions on the state’s ballot-initiative process, saying a ban on non-Florida residents and non-U.S. citizens collecting and delivering petitions “imposes a severe burden on political expression that the state has failed to justify.”
The laws to come out of Florida’s 2025 legislative session have been well-documented, but Georgia, which had its session adjourned on April 4, also saw over 100 new laws go into effect on July 1. Some of those laws include a ban on using drones within 400 feet of a ticketed entertainment event, expansion of the state’s income tax credit, and even permitting an eco-friendly alternative to burial or cremation for deceased loved ones.
Florida’s latest legislative session was officially adjourned on June 16, but after monthslong debates over the state’s budget, the session is slated to conclude Monday. In that time, Governor Ron DeSantis has approved and vetoed a myriad of legislation, and on July 1, over 120 laws will be enacted after receiving his signature following approval from Florida’s House and Senate.
Days after a mass shooting at nearby Florida State University, the state Senate appears poised to scuttle a controversial proposal that would allow people under age 21 to buy rifles and other long guns.
Lawmakers in Tallahassee are working to roll back major aspects of Florida’s child labor laws.
The Florida House could move quickly to pass a controversial bill that would lower the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18.
Highway speeds could increase under a bill that has started moving forward in the state Senate. The Republican-controlled Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday approved a wide-ranging measure (SB 462), filed by Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, that includes boosting the maximum speed on interstates and Florida’s Turnpike from 70 mph to 75 mph.
Jacksonville City Council Vice President Kevin Carrico filed legislation to ensure the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has the resources needed to enforce illegal immigration laws.
A new law set to take effect in Florida aims to safeguard children from the potential risks of social media. Starting tomorrow, children under the age of 14 will be prohibited from opening social media accounts.
A new bill creates a 25-foot barrier between first responders and the public. Anyone who comes within that barrier will get a warning. And if they don’t leave, they could face criminal consequences.
More than 200 new laws will go into effect in Florida on Saturday, and one of the new laws will allow guns to be carried almost anywhere in the state, without a permit.
Among the laws Gov. Ron DeSantis has written into law, he signed SB 300, which is the Heartbeat Protection Act, prohibiting abortions once the unborn child has a detectible heartbeat, there are other bills and laws that are getting attention.
The Justice Department is sending out more than $200 million to help states and the District of Columbia administer “red-flag laws” and other crisis-intervention programs.
