The latest ruling clarified 18- to 20-year-olds hold the same rights.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Florida law<\/a> prohibits those under 21 from purchasing a firearm, but they can still legally obtain one. Eighteen- to 20-year-olds can possess guns through inheritance or gifts from relatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gainesville Police Department spokesperson Art Forgey said the department hasn’t experienced any issues related to open carry since it became legal in September. GPD doesn\u2019t anticipate any changes with the new court ruling, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe same legal principles and enforcement considerations that have applied since the open carry law took effect will continue to apply under this ruling,\u201d Forgey wrote in an email to The Alligator.\u00a0<\/p>\n Under these court rulings, adults don\u2019t need to be certified to openly carry a firearm.\u00a0<\/p>\n Taylor Slayton, a 24-year-old staff member at Shoot Gainesville Target Range, openly carries his firearm when he stops at gas stations before hunting.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes into people under the age of 21, it gets a little more sketchy, in a sense,\u201d Slayton said, \u201cespecially since they\u2019re still in that maturing stage.\u201d<\/p>\n People 21 and over are required to take a training course for a concealed weapons license, he said, and it would be safer if 18- to 20-year-olds also had to do a training course for open carry.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n Enjoy what you’re reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox<\/p>\n \u201cIf they brought something into that [open carry] that says, \u2018Hey, I\u2019ve been through a specific class, I have this training and I\u2019m allowed to do this,\u2019 I don\u2019t think there would be a problem with it,\u201d Slayton said.\u00a0<\/p>\n A 2023<\/a> bill ruled all gun owners must meet the same requirements as those who have a concealed weapons license in order to conceal carry, but the concealed carry permit itself is no longer a requirement.\u00a0<\/p>\n Within the ruling, 18- to 20-year-olds have also gained the right to apply for a concealed weapons license, though it is not required to conceal carry in Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n The ruling extending the right to open carry was made during Gun Violence Awareness Month.\u00a0<\/p>\n Impact GNV, the city’s gun violence prevention program, spent the month of June hosting events<\/a> to bring awareness to its mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n Program manager Brittany Coleman said Impact GNV isn\u2019t involved with legislation like open carry, but the program advocates for young adults to learn about being responsible gun owners.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things we want to do is encourage parents, adults, caregivers to have conversations with their young people about responsible gun ownership,\u201d Coleman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s important for adults to find available training to ensure they know how to properly use a firearm, she said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Another organization, the League of Women Voters of Alachua County, aims to encourage people to vote. Its Gun Violence Prevention and Safety Committee advocates for secure storage of firearms.\u00a0<\/p>\n The committee\u2019s main concern is the risk of suicide. Gwendolyn Saffo, the vice president of the league and committee chair, said she\u2019s worried the new ruling will bring an increase in injuries for young adults.\u00a0<\/p>\n Suicide is the most common cause of death by firearm in Alachua County, according to a 2025 study<\/a> by the local League of Women Voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nationwide, suicide is the leading cause of death among individuals ages 15 to 34, according to a 2026 study<\/a> by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.\u00a0<\/p>\n The risk is why the committee emphasizes proper storage, Saffo said.<\/p>\n If a weapon is secured in locked storage, she said, the seconds it would take to unlock and access it could make a difference. In those seconds, another person could stop them, or they could change their mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n Saffo said allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to openly carry a firearm is a safety risk because of their age.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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