New Law to Allow Florida Paramedics, Doctors to Carry Guns in High-Risk Police Operations

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law H.B.-487, the “Carrying of Firearms by Tactical Medical Professionals” legislation allowing paramedics and doctors to carry firearms under the same protections as police when helping with high-risk law-enforcement operations.

The law, which takes effect July 1, will allow these paramedics and doctors to both have both open-carry and concealed-carry firearms at schools and college campuses, which were previously off-limits.  A tactical medical professional (TMP) is defined as a paramedic, physician, or osteopathic physician who provides medical services in direct support of a tactical law-enforcement unit in high-risk scenarios .

“The bill allows a TMP to carry a firearm in the same manner and in the same location as a law enforcement officer while the TMP is actively operating in direct support of a law-enforcement operation. A TMP has no duty to retreat and may only use force for self-defense or in the defense of others. The bill grants a TMP the same criminal and civil immunity as a law-enforcement officer when the TMP is acting in the scope of his or her official duties,” noted a Florida House of Representatives analysis of the legislation. Before receiving a TMP designation, the person must be qualified and receive training.

“States including Kansas and Ohio already have emergency responder-firearm laws in place. Similar bills have been proposed in Tennessee, Mississippi and Virginia,” a Florida TV news report stated when announcing the new law had been enacted.