Drew Wilson
Pompano Beach Democratic Rep. Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed filed a bill Friday that would change some of the rules on concealed weapons permits in Florida.
HB 935 would require concealed weapons permit holders to tell first responders they have a concealed weapon and present their license and identification. Current law doesn’t require permit holders to tell police they are carrying a weapon. The bill would also increase the fine for not carrying the license from $25 to $1,000.
“This bill would provide a safety measure for the permit holder licensee as well as the law enforcement officer,” Clarke-Reed said. “This respects our citizens’ constitutional rights and makes all of us more accountable.”
The bill also requires 12 hours of training for licensing, including six hours of certified firearm training and six hours of gun safety training. Current law allows for several courses, such as a hunter education or hunter safety course, to satisfy training requirements, though it does not specify the 12-hour requirement found in Clarke-Reed’s bill.
The Legislature often shoots down legislation that would make it more difficult to get a concealed carry permit, and though Clarke-Reed’s bill mainly changes the fine for permit holders not carrying their paperwork, it faces a tough road to get passed into law.
The just-filed bill has not yet been assigned to any committees.
