TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In a bold move on Tuesday morning, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a fresh initiative aimed at defending the Second Amendment rights of “non-dangerous felons” through a social media broadcast.
Uthmeier shared his perspective in a video uploaded to X, arguing that individuals who are not a threat to society should not be stripped of their constitutional right to bear arms.
To reinforce this stance, Uthmeier revealed that his office has filed legal briefs advocating for the protection of Second Amendment rights in light of specific previous state prosecutions.
The complete video statement elaborates on this initiative:
Currently, Florida law prohibits felons from possessing firearms, ammunition, or electric weapons, irrespective of where their felony conviction occurred.
Violating this regulation can lead to a charge of a second-degree felony, although this does not apply to felons who have had their civil rights reinstated.
The full video statement goes as follows:
“Firearm ownership is an American tradition, and the God-given right to self-defense is enshrined in our Constitution through the Second Amendment.
For the government to restrict Second Amendment rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the Constitution and American tradition requires an individual must pose a credible threat to the physical safety of others.
For instance, a man who is convicted of carrying a firearm without a permission slip from the government in another state — who poses no danger to the community — should not be disarmed or dragged to prison as a felon for exerting his right to self-defense. As attorney general, I’m required to support and defend your rights before all else — no matter the cost.
That’s why we’ve submitted legal briefs defending the Second Amendment against certain past state prosecutions of non-dangerous felons. While Florida law barring dangerous felons from owning firearms is constitutional, it may only be applied to those who are a danger to the public — not someone who should have never been a felon in the first place.
My office will continue to enforce the law. We will hold wrongdoers accountable, and we will step in when government infringes on your constitutional rights.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Under Florida law, felons in the state are barred from owning or carrying any firearm, ammunition or electric weapon, regardless of whether the felony conviction came from Florida.
Breaking this law can result in a second-degree felony, though it doesn’t apply to felons whose civil rights have already been restored.
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