Gun rights groups pillory Monique Miller after she fails to file open carry bill

While Gov. Ron DeSantis called for expanding gun rights, no open carry legislation was filed for consideration this year. That has Second Amendment activists angry at lawmakers who voiced support for such a change in the past.

Specifically, groups like Florida Gun Rights have critiqued Rep. Monique Miller, a Brevard County Republican who said she intended to file an open carry bill but did not do so before a deadline ahead of the Legislative Session.

“Rep Monique Miller refused to file an open carry bill this session after she promised to do so,” said gun rights activist Matt Collins. “She sent the bill to the legislative drafting department but did not actually file it prior to Friday’s deadline. Insiders report that Rep Randy Fine instructed her not to actually file the bill as part of his spat with Governor DeSantis (who supports open carry).”

The group incorrectly identified Fine as a member of the House. He is now in the Senate.

Miller, for her part, said she remains a supporter of allowing individuals to open carry firearms, but said there isn’t a viable path for the bill this year.

“I am a staunch advocate of open carry,” Miller said. “I recognize it will take a concerted effort over time to get it done, and I’m in it for the long haul.”

Miller was the second lawmaker to commit to open carry legislation in the House. Former Rep. Joel Rudman, a Navarre Republican, filed such a bill ahead of Session. But it and all of his legislation was withdrawn after he resigned to run for Congress.

Senate President Ben Albritton reiterated as much on the first day of Session, making clear that the upper chamber of the Legislature won’t consider open carry legislation this year. He warned that Florida is very diverse with a wide range of “how society would accept that.”

“Orlando is not Pensacola, and certainly Tallahassee is not Okeechobee,” Albritton said following DeSantis’ State of the State.

“Another complication is Florida brought in more than 140 million visitors last year. We’re a tourism state. That matters. So I’m working through that in my mind because the most important thing I want to do is to do what’s right. And certainly, the most important thing I don’t want to do is make a mistake.”

But DeSantis has said he would sign an open carry bill if it made it to his desk. While he didn’t specifically say anything about that in his State of the State address on Tuesday, he did suggest the Legislature revisit restrictions put in place after the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High shooting under then-Gov. Rick Scott.

“We need to be a strong Second Amendment state,” DeSantis said. “I know many of you agree with it, and so let’s get some positive reform done for the people of this state of Florida.”

Miller, for her part, said she will fight this year to expand gun rights in Florida.

“I am delighted to sponsor three important bills this session to advance gun rights in Florida,” she said.

“HB 6025 will fully repeal the unconstitutional ban on sales of firearms and ammunition sales during declared emergencies. If passed, Floridians will be able to protect themselves, their families and their homes, in times of crisis, when needed most. Additionally, I sponsored HB 491, which will ban the use of AI cameras to detect concealed firearms, and I co-sponsored HB 759 which will restore the gun rights of young adults, age 18 to 20.”

That hasn’t eased frustrations of gun groups or conservative activists.

“Gun Owners of America backed Rep. Monique Miller and she promised to file our open carry bill,” posted Luis Valdes, Florida State Director of GOA. “She now says it isn’t the right time. If the Founders had that attitude, we’d be Canada.”