Florida attorney general declares open carry of guns ‘law of the state’

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier declared state residents are free to openly carry guns statewide after an appeals court decision that struck down Florida’s nearly 40-year-old ban. Uthmeier, a Republican appointed to the job earlier this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis who is running for the post in 2026, sent out a “guidance” memo Monday to law enforcement agencies and local prosecutors asserting the 1st District Court of Appeal ruling is in effect statewide. “Meaning that of last week, open carry is the law of the state,” Uthmeier wrote on his official X account in a post that included the...