九色

An appeals court has upheld a Florida law banning people from openly carrying firearms purely for self-defense purposes.

A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal issued the ruling Feb. 18 in the case of Dale Norman. Norman challenged the law on constitutional grounds after his 2012 arrest in Fort Pierce on a misdemeanor charge for openly carrying a handgun in a holster.

The judges found that the Florida Legislature can enact restrictions on how guns may be carried outside the home without violating the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. The open-carry ban does not apply to such activities as hunting or target shooting or to various law enforcement officials.

Most Floridians over age 21 can carry a concealed weapon in public if they obtain the proper permit.

Topics Florida