City of Gainesville and Alachua County agree to repeal or amend firearm ordinances
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Both the City of Gainesville and Alachua County have agreed to repeal or amend firearm ordinances after Florida Carry, Inc. notified them that the ordinances violate state preemption laws.
Florida Carry, Inc., a grassroots organization dedicated to the 2nd Amendment rights of Floridians, recently sent letters to both governments, detailing specific ordinances on topics that the organization believes are subject to state preemption. For Alachua County, the ordinances restrict the sale or transportation of firearms during a state of emergency, prohibit firearms at Bivins Arm Lake, and prohibit bringing firearms into the County Courthouse; for Gainesville, the ordinance regulates outdoor shooting ranges, including requirements that a range master shall be present and that no live ammunition or weapons may be stored on site.
Alachua County
At the August 11 meeting of the Alachua County Commission, an item on the consent agenda authorized the Chair to execute and transmit a letter documenting the board’s intention to repeal or amend its ordinances; authorized advertisement and scheduling of a public hearing to consider the repeal or amendment of the ordinances; directed relevant departments to suspend enforcement of the cited provisions in the meantime; and directed staff to preserve records related to adoption, publication, and enforcement of the cited provisions.
As a result, Alachua County Commission Chair Ken Cornell sent a letter to Florida Carry on August 11 that pledged to bring back draft ordinances to address the alleged preemption violations “within the timeframes established by [Florida statutes]” and suspend enforcement of those provisions until that is done.
Gainesville
On August 12, Gainesville Interim City Manager Andrew Persons transmitted a draft ordinance to Florida Carry that would address the alleged violation and pledged that the City Commission would take it up “at the earliest opportunity.” The draft ordinance maintains provisions on the location and physical construction of outdoor shooting ranges while removing provisions that regulate the “possession, carrying, sale, transfer, or use of firearm or ammunition, except to the extent expressly authorized by law.”
The city and county don’t care about STOLEN guns because that would be “racist”.
Thank you, Florida Carry!
You used to be able to carry into the courthouse lobby and have it stored. I want that back.
If I have to go to jury duty I want some protection walking from the city garage to the courthouse past crazy bums, because the city doesn’t care what happens to you.
It’s sad how some people think they can regulate the second amendment you’re right to own and bare arms is in our constitution and this should never be question of your rights
Repeal or amend “prohibit bringing firearms into the County Courthouse; for Gainesville”…
How will that work? You will be able to bring a gun into a courtroom?
Bull, no. You used to be able to carry into the lobby, where you safely stored your firearm in a locker. Sounds like they’ll be bringing that back.
i wonder hw many guns in grace market
DR, probably not as many knives. There seems to be a stabbing there weekly. Gotta love the crime magnet that is GRACE.