Everytown for Gun Safety Releases 2024 State Gun Law Rankings, Florida Drops from 19 to 22 in National Rank for the Strength of its Gun Laws

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Today, Everytown for Gun Safety launched the updated “Gun Law Rankings” for 2024, an online tool and website that ranks all 50 states based on the strength of their gun laws and catalogs gun safety laws state by state. This year, Everytown’s state gun law rankings also shows whether states’ rankings increased or decreased over the past year, reflecting progress made by passing common-sense gun safety policies or setbacks as a result of enacting dangerous measures backed by the gun lobby. Everytown’s analysis found that Florida ranks 22nd in the nation for its gun laws, dropping from a rank of 19 last year.

While gun-sense legislators in states like Minnesota and Michigan took action this past year to pass gun safety policies, including extreme risk protection order laws and requirements for background checks on all gun sales, gun lobby-backed legislators and Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida instead passed permitless carry behind closed doors just days after the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. 

“This past session, Governor DeSantis and House Republicans chose to make our beaches, restaurants, schools, grocery stores, parks, and everywhere else we go more vulnerable to gun violence, ” said Katie Hathaway, a volunteer with the Florida chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Instead of serving the Floridians they were sworn to protect, these lawmakers are weakening our state’s gun laws to line their pockets, all while we bear the burden of the lethal consequences.”

“We’re living in a world where shots can ring out anywhere at any time, and instead of taking action to protect us, our lawmakers are choosing to put our lives and our futures at risk,” said Alexis Dorman, a junior at Florida State University and volunteer with the Florida chapter of Students Demand Action. “We’ve learned to expect nothing less from our gun-lobby-backed politicians, but we’re not done showing up to demand more. Enough is enough — we will see you at the ballot box.” 
To speak with an expert about Everytown’s State Gun Law Rankings or gun violence prevention efforts in Florida, please contact [email protected]