The National Rifle Association has filed a challenge against Florida’s unconstitutional waiting period law in federal court. Following the filing, John Commerford, Executive Director of NRA-ILA, released the following statement:
"For nearly 35 years, law-abiding Floridians have had to endure unconstitutional laws that arbitrarily deny them access to legally purchased firearms," said John Commerford, Executive Director of NRA-ILA. "Thanks to the NRA's landmark Supreme Court case NYSRPA v. Bruen, illogical, nonsensical, and unconstitutional gun control laws like this are being thrown out in federal courts across the country. We are confident that our challenge today will be successful and serve as another critical step in rehabilitating Second Amendment rights in the Sunshine State."
BACKGROUND:
- Florida established a three-day waiting period for handgun purchases in 1990 through a constitutional amendment, which was later expanded to apply to all firearms in 2018 as part of a broader gun control package.
- Waiting period laws have come under intense scrutiny by federal courts. This month, the Tenth Circuit held that New Mexico’s 7-Day Waiting Period is unconstitutional in the NRA's challenge against the law.
- In March, a federal district court ruled that Maine’s waiting period law likely violates the Second Amendment and issued a preliminary injunction to stop enforcement of the law. This challenge is currently before the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
- These rulings are based on the landmark NRA-backed Supreme Court case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, which held that gun control laws are unconstitutional unless they are consistent with our nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.
