Jesse Scheckner
A bill that would ban cameras powered with artificial intelligence from detecting firearms in public areas zipped through its first House stop with little discussion and no opposition.
Members of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 13-0 for HB 491, which would make using AI gun detection without a warrant a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and $1,000 in fines.
The measure’s sponsor, Palm Bay Republican Rep. Monique Miller, noted that the restriction would only apply to concealed firearms. The word “concealed” did not appear in the originally filed bill, but was added through substitute language filed Monday.
Notably, the companies that offer AI gun detection like Actuate, Coram, Omnilert and ZeroEyes say their software does not detect concealed weapons, and Florida is not an open-carry state.
Miller, a cybersecurity executive and self-described “staunch gun rights advocate,” said last month that she planned to file open carry legislation for the 2025 Session but ultimately did not do so.
HB 491 includes exceptions for federally protected areas like schools, courthouses and other secure areas like police stations.
Asked by Weston Democratic Rep. Robin Bartleman whether law enforcement supported the bill, particularly how it may affect large-scale events where extra protections might be welcome, Miller said she’s had “many conversations with folks” about the bill.
“I’ve not had any concerns about this,” Miller said Wednesday. “We have a right to privacy with concealed weapons, so this is why there’s an exception for brandished weapons. … And if you would like to see if someone has a concealed weapon, then they can get a warrant and do that.”
A representative from ZeroEyes signaled support for HB 491, which will next go to the House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee.
Its upper-chamber analog (SB 562), which is still missing the “concealed” qualifier, has yet to be heard. That bill’s sponsor, Spring Hill Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, has said the use of AI for gun detection is “nothing but a technological infringement upon both our Second and Fourth Amendment rights.”
The Second Amendment states, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The Fourth Amendment generally safeguards people from unreasonable government searches and seizures.
