Florida Carry, Inc., a state gun rights advocacy group, is suing the University of Florida over its school-wide firearms ban, which bars students from keeping weapons in their residence halls.
The organization previously took the University of North Florida, another public university, to court over its gun control policies. The ruling in that case, settled on December 10, 2013, was that the university had violated state laws by forbidding a woman from keeping a loaded gun in her car. The court declared that only the state legislature has the right to regulate guns, preempting local governments and universities.
The current lawsuit raises a number of questions about whether students should be allowed to keep guns in their dorm rooms:
- Florida Carry has asserted that dormitories should be considered homes, which are protected under the Second Amendment.
- However, a spokesperson from the University of Florida claims that the school is complying with state laws that ban guns on university campuses.
- In addition, the university says that it has complied with a separate ruling that allows all individuals over the age of 18 to store guns securely in their cars on campus. The school has filed a request to dismiss the lawsuit, the results of which have not been announced.
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees all American citizens the right to bear arms and some states are expanding the various locations where people may legally carry a firearm. If you feel that your rights have been violated, speak with a dedicated weapons charges attorney to learn more about your legal options.
