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Florida Carry and GOA combine forces against the municipal two step



                                                                                                                                 Public venues denying access to individuals and families that carry self defense firearms

Jacksonville FL received a SECOND Florida Carry lawsuit 9-23-2026

Gun Owners of America joins us in this suit against Duval County FL

5-12-2026 The Attorney General of the State of Florida sued the City of Jacksonville Florida because they had illegally created a gun registry list as a condition to enter the Yates Building and City Hall. Currently, the next hearing in case# 16-2026-CA-003364-AXXX-MA is scheduled for 12-17-2026 at 1:30 PM.

8-20-2026 Florida Carry Inc and Eric Friday sued the City of Jacksonville as the plaintiff's of their own lawsuit for the same reason in case# 16-2026-CA-005861-AXXX-MA. The last movement on the case was 9-24-2026 when the court granted a motion for some exhibits to remain confidential.

9-23-2026 Florida Carry Inc, Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, and several individual plaintiffs sued the City of Jacksonville Florida for enforcing their own local firearm restrictions in publicly owned venues. The case# is 16-2026-CA-006676-AXXX-MA. The venues specifically mentioned were the Everbank Stadium for non-athletic events, the Florida Theater, the Jacksonville Center for Performing Arts Moran Theatre, and the Jacksonville Fairgrounds. Those in the civil rights community focused on firearms and the 2nd Amendment have deemed this type of overreach the "municipal two step".

Respectfully,

Your Florida Carry Board of Directors 

Lawsuits in Action

 

Three new cases filed this summer

St. Augustine FL, Lake County FL, and Jacksonville FL.

Florida Carry has filed three new lawsuits; each stemming from a member report of a government entity restricting the lawful carry of firearms.

Florida Carry, Inc. vs City of St. Augustine, Florida

Case # CA26-1218 was filed 7-28-2026.

Florida carry members reported that The St. Augustine and St. Johns County Visitor Information Center and the City Hall had placed no firearm signs. Any building run by the county or city (other than specific instances) may not place no firearms signs and enforce such rules contrary to Florida Statute 790.33 "Field of regulation or firearms and ammunition preempted".

Follow along at stjohnsclerk.com by clicking the drop down menu, select online services, court records search.

Florida Carry, Inc vs Lake Agriculture and Youth Fair Association, Lake County Fair Association Inc., Lake County, and Sheriff Peyton Grinnell

Case# 35-2026-CA-001525-AXXX-01 was filed 7-10-2026.

A Florida Carry member was denied open carry at the fairgrounds. Then he was denied concealed carry at the fairgrounds.

Follow along at lakecountyclerkfl.gov by clicking records, court records, search online court records, accept and search court records, and finally case search link at the top of the screen.

Florida Carry, Inc vs City Of Jacksonville and Mayor Donna Deegan

Case # 16-2026-CA-003364-AXXX-MA was filed 8-20-2026.

The City directed security officers at City Hall and the Tax Collector's office to create a list of people, addresses, and firearm models when they requested to enter city buildings around the magnetometers. A Florida Carry member was directly affected.

Follow along at duvalclerk.com by clicking the drop down menu, online options, court records, public access, case search.

What you can do

1) Report a violation using our contact form at the FloridaCarry.org website.

2) Join at FloridaCarry.org as a member to help fund litigation and lobbying.

3) All yearly and lifetime members may donate after logging in.

4) Follow along on these cases.

Respectfully,

Your Florida Carry Board of Directors 

City of St. Augustine

Under the Gun!



Earlier this week, Florida Carry filed suit in the 7th Judicial Circuit Court for St. John's County against the City of St. Augustine and five named defendants for violations of Florida's firearms preemption law. Upon being advised of signage prohibiting firearms at the St. Augustine Visitors Center, we sent a written notice of violation to city officials in late February. We then learned of additional signage at other city buildings and enforcement of carry restrictions on citizens by city employees occurring after receiving an initial lackluster response from the City Attorney. Given the city's months long inaction subsequent to our written notice, we had no choice but to file suit.

The state legislature has declared express preemption on the topic of firearms and ammunition regulation. Local governments are forbidden from regulating firearms in any way. The legislature, not the St. Augustine City Commission, decides where firearms are and are not allowed. Nowhere in statute are publicly owned visitors centers deemed prohibited places.

Executive Director Sean Caranna on Cam & Co.

Respectfully,

Your Florida Carry Board of Directors 

Safeguard Florida’s Restored Right to Open Carry Against Unconstitutional Infringements

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State, ZIP Code]

[Email Address]

[Phone Number]

[Date: September 22, 2025]

To the Honorable Senators, Representatives, and Sheriffs of the State of Florida:

Dear Esteemed Public Servants,

I am writing to you today as a proud member or supporter of Florida Carry, Inc.,

1. I oppose any new restrictions on Open Carry. For 38 long years, our state has denied its citizens the fundamental right to openly carry firearms for self-defense. No new infringements to replace the old one!

2. Eliminate prohibited places as they cause people to be defenseless against evil.

3. Restore the right of 18, 19, and 20 year olds to buy long guns (state) and hand guns (federal).

4. Repeal red flag laws. Go back to injunctions, Marchman and Baker Acts only.

5. Oppose federal overreach like the National Firearms Act and the Gun Free School Zones Act. Both are unconstitutional infringement.

I acknowledge the recent restoration of the essential liberty to open carry was BLOCKED by the legislature and our Florida Sheriff’s Association.

Now is the time for you all to step up and defend our Constitutional rights that only the courts have acknowledged.

Our victory in the courts will be defended!

We have already witnessed attempts—both at the local and state levels—to undermine these rights through misguided letters from city counsel members to businesses, suggestions of arbitrary infringements, and overreaching interpretations of the September 10th, 2025 effective date that smack of unconstitutional infringement.

Such actions not only violate our foundational charters but also erode public trust in government institutions. As our elected Senators and Representatives, and as our dedicated Sheriffs who serve on the front lines of law enforcement, you hold the power and responsibility to prevent these encroachments.

Florida Carry stands ready to assist in these efforts, offering expertise, resources, and grassroots support to defend our shared values. We have fought tirelessly for this restoration, and we will continue to vigilantly monitor and challenge any threats to it. Let us not squander this opportunity to build a safer, freer Florida for generations to come.

I respectfully request a response outlining your position on this matter and any actions you plan to take. Together, we can ensure that the rights we have reclaimed remain secure against all forms of infringement.

Thank you for your service and your attention to this critical issue.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Member or supporter of Florida Carry

Florida Carry Inc. --- The story leading to Sept 10th 2025 and the open carry ban being ruled unconstitutional…

For 15 years, Florida Carry Inc has been fighting to remove 790.053 that came from a 38 year old special session of the legislature in 1987.

790.053 Open carrying of weapons.—

(1) Except as otherwise provided by law and in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any person to openly carry on or about his or her person any firearm or electric weapon or device. It is not a violation of this section for a person who carries a concealed firearm as authorized in s. 790.01(1) to briefly and openly display the firearm to the ordinary sight of another person, unless the firearm is intentionally displayed in an angry or threatening manner, not in necessary self-defense.

(2) A person may openly carry, for purposes of lawful self-defense:

(a) A self-defense chemical spray.

(b) A nonlethal stun gun or dart-firing stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device that is designed solely for defensive purposes.

(3) Any person violating this section commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

The Florida Carry case Caranna vs Chitwood began from an incident May 25th 2013 and was lost partially because there was no arrest. No criminal case to overturn. Nothing to get 790.053 ruled unconstitutional because the case dealt with Baker Acts.

So, as an organization, this activated radar for when a case more perfectly aligned occurred.

On July 4th 2022, Stanley McDaniels was arrested for open carry while campaigning for County Commissioner in Escambia County in Pensacola FL. He told the officers on scene that he WANTED to appeal the open carry ban to the Florida Supreme Court.

When Florida Carry heard of the facts of this arrest, we swung into action with both the Board of Directors and General Council Eric Friday. We secured a local bail bondsman to COVER the $500 misdemeanor bail at no cost because they believed in the cause. Friday, being based in Duval County 360 miles away,

 found a local lawyer who was also a believer, Chris Crawford. Once again, at no cost to Stanley McDaniels.

Friday handled the motion to dismiss hearing in person, and Chris Crawford handled the trial.

Daniels was convicted.

When the appeal began, we only had Heller to go on. Then the Bruen decision came in and helped. The Rahimi decision based on unfavorable case facts hindered.

Florida Carry was contacted by Gun Owners of America who kicked in some financial support. The Second Amendment Foundation provided a lawyer who helped the Florida Carry Board of Directors and Eric Friday in crafting legal briefs. This was a team effort.

Florida Carry paid filing fees for the appeal. Florida Carry supports Eric Friday in travel expenses and lawyer fees so Stanley McDaniels doesn’t have to. In fact, Eric doesn’t bill until the case is over. Well, it was over September 10th 2025. That is why Florida Carry still needs your financial support!

On top of that our fight is not over!

Signs having weight of law in not on the table as far as we are concerned. That does not mean anti-gun corporate interest and local officials won’t be asking for it. We do have a plan if they insist. If the legislature accepts their plan or goals without our input and participation we will seek a governor’s veto.

Exercising private property rights to deny the right to defend yourself should come with consequences.

No further infringements will be entertained.

We asked for something very simple for a long time. We achieved it without the legislators’ help. We are prepared to defend the victory, and we are prepared to have honest good faith discussion about any issues the other side would like to address.

We will not negotiate away our victory or our rights!

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