Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature has passed a bill to allow people to conceal carry loaded guns anywhere—with or without a permit. The bill, which Gov. Ron DeSantis has indicated he will sign, loosens the state’s already minimal gun laws, removing a layer of background checks, licensing and firearm training. In recent months, DeSantis has called the bill “something that I’ve always supported.” If he does sign it, Florida will become the 26th state to have such a law as gun violence continues to rocket out of control in the country. There have already been more than 10,000 gun violence deaths in the U.S. in 2023, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
