If you live in Florida and have to evacuate because Hurricane Matthew is approaching, you will be able to conceal a firearm if you are eligible to legally possess a firearm but do not have a permit to conceal it.
A new bill was signed into law last year that creates an exception to Florida’s concealed firearm laws when there is a state of emergency.
Brandes bill, SB 290, creates an exception to Florida’s prohibition against concealed carry of a weapon without a permit by allowing adults not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm to temporally do so while evacuating. The law allows for a 48-hour window that this would be allowed after the evacuation has been ordered. However, the governor can authorize an extension as needed.
“As Hurricane Season approaches it’s critical that our rights are protected during natural disasters,” advised Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-Petersburg, in a statement last year. “With the signing of SB 290, all lawful gun owners will be permitted to carry a concealed weapon if they are complying with a mandatory evacuation during a state of emergency. I’m proud to have sponsored this bipartisan bill ensuring that we have the right to protect our families during these sometimes chaotic times.”
“This bill is a no-brainer, particularly in Florida with our hurricane exposure,” Marion Hammer, president of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida and past president of the National Rifle Association, told Guns.com last year. “When you’re ordered to evacuate — to take your kids, your dog and valuables and flee — the last thing you should leave behind is your gun.”
Don’t leave your gun behind. Creeps are always looking to take advantage of honest people when there is an emergency. You don’t want your gun(s) at home where they could possibly be stolen by looters and you don’t want to be a robbery victim. Stay safe.
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