Florida AG Sues Jacksonville Over Alleged Gun Registry

Florida’s attorney general has initiated legal action against Jacksonville, claiming the city has been maintaining an illegal gun owner registry and is seeking fines as high as $5 million.

A report from May 2025, cited by some local Republican City Council members and shared with WJAX, highlighted a list of approximately 100 individuals who had entered city facilities while armed. Attorney General James Usmayer announced the lawsuit on Tuesday afternoon, which builds on an investigation that began in January.

“We are holding Jacksonville accountable for knowingly operating an illegal gun registry that contradicts Florida law,” Usmayer stated. He mentioned that following the mayor’s assumption of office in July 2023, a firearms registry had been established. This registry required security personnel to screen visitors and record details such as names, ages, state IDs, and firearm types.

Usmayer went on to explain that the city continued these practices until April 2025, when a person legally attempting to enter a building with a firearm was denied entry by security for not providing required details. He emphasized that Florida laws bar any governmental entity from maintaining a register of privately owned firearms and their owners, and labeled the city’s logbook as a violative register.

Both Usmayer and representatives from the city of Jacksonville have not responded to requests for further comment. Reports indicate the logbook was established under the misguided belief that the city’s legal counsel was reviewing the policy. State Attorney Melissa Nelson opted not to file criminal charges, which drew some criticism from Usmayer.

According to WJAX, Nelson has issued subpoenas to several current and former city employees during the investigation. On May 14, 2025, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan remarked that the individual behind this situation was primarily concerned about safety in city buildings.

City documents suggest there was a draft policy in place, but there’s no clear evidence that high-ranking officials, including Deegan or former Mayor Lenny Curry, were aware of it. Usmayer voiced his discontent, stating, “I cannot accept a conclusion without accountability. This is not finished yet.”

He also emphasized that he will not allow the Second Amendment to be regarded as a second-class right, asserting that his department will actively safeguard the rights of Floridians.