With Hurricane Matthew bearing down on Florida, legislation passed last year will ensure Floridians aren’t left defenseless in the face of tragedy as many were in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
When Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency on Monday, the new law kicked in that allows Floridians to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense, even without a permit.
The law states: “A person who carries a concealed weapon, or a person who may lawfully possess a firearm and who carries a concealed firearm, on or about his or her person while in the act of evacuating during a mandatory evacuation order issued during a state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to chapter 252 or declared by a local authority pursuant to chapter 870. As used in this subsection, the term 'in the act of evacuating' means the immediate and urgent movement of a person away from the evacuation zone within 48 hours after a mandatory evacuation is ordered. The 48 hours may be extended by an order issued by the Governor.”
