Q&A of the Day – Florida’s Proposed Constitutional Carry Legislation
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
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Today’s Entry: @brianmuddradio What are the facts about CC in states that already allow it? I want to share them with those who are saying everyone carrying will walk around shooting everyone around them.
Bottom Line: Yes, the hysteria is here, because yes, on Monday Florida House Speaker Paul Renner introduced the Concealed Carry of Weapons and Firearms Without a License bill...aka constitutional carry. And yes, predictably, we’ve seen and heard those who’re fearful of firearms generally, speak in dire terms about what the implications of this would be in Florida. As always there are two sides to stories and one side to facts. The facts are especially important to consider in this conversation. Here are some of the especially important facts to consider prior to the potential expansion of gun rights within Florida.
- Florida has led the country in concealed carry permitted holders since 2008 with greater than 2.6 million permits currently active
- 15% of Florida’s total adult population have CCW permits
- Total permits have risen every year in Florida
- Florida’s crime rate is at a 50-year low having dropped as gun ownership has increased in Florida
Those facts are a pretty big deal, right? More guns have progressively led to lower crime rates. Now to lawful gun owners this isn’t a surprise. Guns obviously don’t commit crimes, despite the way various events are often reported, people do. And good people with guns retain the ability to help defend themselves and prevent additional crimes. The key though, is that the most common way in which lawful gun owners successfully defend themselves with firearms, isn’t by using them, but by illustrating that they could if pressed. So, about the specifics of the new proposal in Florida. Here’s how the summary reads:
- Concealed Carry of Weapons and Firearms Without a License; Authorizes person to carry concealed weapon or concealed firearm if he or she is licensed to do so or meets specified requirements; requires person who is carrying concealed weapon or concealed firearm without license to carry identification & display upon demand by law enforcement; prohibits person who is carrying concealed weapon or concealed firearm without license from carrying such weapon or firearm in specified locations; authorizes nonresident to carry concealed weapon or concealed firearm in this state if he or she meets same requirements as resident; provides person authorized to carry concealed weapon or concealed firearm without license is subject to specified penalties for possessing such weapon or firearm at school-sponsored event or on school property.
So, you can see that while the proposal would remove the need for a CCW permit, there would still be restrictions as to where guns would be permitted. IE schools, government buildings and businesses which prohibit them on their property. That’s no different than current policy in Florida. But these are all facts about Florida. You specifically asked for facts pertaining to what we’ve learned from the use of it in other states that have already had permitless carry, so let’s get to it.
- 25 states, a few of which are blue, have already authorized constitutional carry, or permitless carrying
- 52 accredited studies of the impact of permitless carry states have been conducted
- Of these, 25 have found that these laws reduce violent crime while 12 found the laws increase violent crime. The remaining studies found no significant effect implying that 40 out of 52 studies found that the laws do not increase crime
- The net effect of all studies is a reduction in violent crime with permitless carry laws in place
Those are the facts. And it stands to reason that the net effect of constitutional carry laws has been a reduction in violent crime. It’s consistent with record gun ownership rates in Florida corresponding directly with progressively lower crime rates achieving a 50-year low most recently. And why specifically was this determined to be the case? From the summation study of the studies... If people carry concealed weapons, potential attackers will not be able to discern if the intended victim is armed. Criminals are therefore deterred from committing violent crime. And it stands to reason where there’s open carry that’d be doubly true. In the end the fact remains that criminals, not guns, commit crimes. So, more people with more guns doesn’t equal more crime. Most commonly it’s just the opposite. As a gun owner, it’s my goal and in my experience the goal of most, to never need to use it.