Sarasota could delete concealed weapons law

For 38 years, the city of Sarasota has had a concealed-weapons ordinance that prohibited people from concealing any weapon other than a pocketknife.

But a Sarasota resident’s keen eye may get that law taken off the books.

Nathan Tucky wrote to city commissioners last month, informing them that a state law superceded the city ordinance.

“I don’t think any city ordinance should deny you the right to protect yourself,” Tucky said.

Tucky said he was doing research on “open carry” laws, which allow people to openly carry guns in public.
“Open carry” is illegal in Florida.

He came across a firearms regulation that states: “ … the Legislature hereby declares that it is occupying the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition … to the exclusion of all existing and future county, city, town or municipal ordinances or regulations relating thereto. Any such existing ordinances are hereby declared null and void.”

Tucky said because the city ordinance was void, he asked that guns be deleted from the city ordinance.

City Attorney Robert Fournier agrees with Tucky, and he plans to recommend to city commissioners at their Sept. 21 meeting that the entire city ordinance be taken off the books.