Florida gun owners may soon be able to carry concealed weapons without a license.
A piece of legislation known as the permitless carry bill moved one step closer to the governor’s desk after passing in the state House last week.
The bill would eliminate concealed weapons permits, allowing gun owners to carry firearms without a license or training. That has been required up until now.
Republican leaders like Gov. Ron DeSantis have expressed support for the idea, which indicates the bill should not have a problem passing in a legislature with a GOP supermajority. Democrats, however, have argued that the bill would make Florida — a state with a history of horrific mass shootings — less safe.
The permitless carry bill heads toward the governor’s desk just as the nation marks the 129th mass shooting so far this year. The latest mass shooting happened Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, at a private school where six were killed. America now averages two mass shooting incidents every day.
Guests:
- Katie Hathaway from the local chapter of Moms Demand Action on Gun Sense in America.
- State Rep. Dan Daley, a Democrat representing part of Broward County.
Residents fight development
The Jacksonville City Council decided last month in a 10-9 vote to approve rezoning an area in Northeast Jacksonville near the Pumpkin Hill Preserve to make way for a planned development that would bring close to 100 new homes. Residents and the nine council members who voted against the measure are worried about the effects the development could have on the area.
Guests:
- Stuart Jones, a member of the resident group fighting against the development.
- Danielle D’Amato, a biologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
‘ShakesBeer’
Lumen Repertory Theatre is kicking off its inaugural season with a twist on the works of the Bard. It’s called “ShakesBeer,” and it’s part Shakespeare, part interactive storytelling and part brewery tour.
Guests:
- Brian Niece, co-founder and artistic director of Lumen Repertory Theatre.
- Derrick Scott III, a member of Lumen Repertory Theatre’s board of directors.
What’s Good Wednesday
The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization is assisting the city of Jacksonville with a study of Sunbeam Road from State Road 13/San Jose Boulevard to U.S. 1/Philips Highway. The study will recommend ways to enhance traffic conditions with a focus on enhancing safety and comfort for people who walk or bicycle. If you live or travel in the study area, you’re being asked to comment through an electronic survey that will be live until April 14.
More good news:
- Tickets are now available for Feeding Northeast Florida’s third annual Bourbon & Brisket fundraiser on Saturday, April 22,
- The St. Johns Cultural Council has announced that the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Society’s 34th Annual Conference will be held April 28-30 in St. Augustine.
- And Old Navy is dubbing April 1 “Pockets of Joy Day” and is inviting customers into some of its top-selling dress stores across the country to celebrate.
