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Florida to drop three-day waiting period for firearms

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TALLAHASSEE — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Friday that the state is settling a federal lawsuit by declaring Florida’s three-day firearm purchase waiting period unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

Citing the duty to protect "God-given rights," Uthmeier joined the NRA and other plaintiffs in filing an Offer of Judgment that asks the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida to permanently strike down the law.

The state argued that the waiting period is arbitrary and not connected to the time required to complete background checks, violating the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. The waiting period was enacted in 1990 for handguns and expanded to all firearms in 2018 under foermer Governor and current Senator Rick Scott in response to the mass murder at Parkland High School.

The NRA celebrated the move as a major victory, and local prosecutors have already stopped enforcing the state law and similar county ordinances (such as Alachua County’s five-day rule) pending final court approval.

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  • lib224

    How many more will die from these heat of the moment purchases and subsequent killings!?

    Sunday, June 7 Report this

  • jimandlope

    Oh that’s smart why not get rid of law enforcement also? Jim Tierney

    Sunday, June 7 Report this

  • kmskepton

    Well thank god. This issue is all everyone is talking about - not property insurance, not health insurance, not overdevelopment, not wetland destruction, not data centers, etc., etc., etc.

    Sunday, June 7 Report this

  • graumli22

    @kmskepton, this announcement was about a lawsuit settlement. The AG can't do anything about the issues you raise, nor is that his job. Complain to your representatives!

    Sunday, June 7 Report this

  • rayfusco68

    "God-given rights"? I really don't think God gave us the right to own a gun, period, much less without a reasonable waiting period. If the waiting period is really to short to do a proper background check perhaps it should be increased.

    Sunday, June 7 Report this

  • serenowens

    Where in the Bible did Jesus give the right to carry guns and kill thy neighbor?

    Sunday, June 7 Report this

  • THarte

    I guess violent “TEEN TAKEOVERS” aren’t an issue/glaring problem for our wise state legislators and attorney general Uthmeier!

    Tuesday, June 9 Report this

  • Cat L

    JFC.... These are the frickin priorities of these un-serious a**hats...

    Thursday, June 11 Report this