Statement by Commissioner Nikki Fried on Florida Supreme Court Decision to Hear Appeal in Gun Preemption Case

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried issued the following statement in response to the Florida Supreme Court accepting jurisdiction to hear the legal case against Florida’s firearm preemption law:

“The Supreme Court’s decision to hear our appeal to overturn the Court of Appeals decision regarding the constitutionality of the penalty provisions in the preemption of firearm regulation statute is a win for home rule and local control.

“Once again, Florida Republicans are attempting to punish local governments for taking actions to protect their communities. The penalties imposed by this law are draconian and unconstitutional. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: no one knows their communities better than those who are closest to the people. Republicans in Tallahassee need to stop punishing local officials for doing what their communities are electing them to do.”

Background:

The state Supreme Court today accepted jurisdiction to hear Commissioner Fried’s and local governments’ appeals of the First District Court of Appeals’ decision upholding the constitutionality of the penalty provisions in the preemption of firearm regulation statute.

Earlier this year, Commissioner Fried and a coalition of local governments asked the Supreme Court to take up their lawsuit against Florida’s law that threatens harsh financial penalties for localities that enact gun safety measures. Florida’s state gun preemption law is considered one of the nation’s most extreme.

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