Publix, one of the Florida’ largest grocery retailers, announced that it will permit customers to openly carry firearms in its Florida locations in accordance to changes in state law.
The decision comes after a northern Florida appellate court ruled in September that the state’s ban on openly carrying firearms is unconstitutional. The First District Court of Appeal decision on Sept. 10 in the McDaniels v. State of Florida means the ban on open carry is no longer being enforced as of Sept. 25 because the state did not appeal the ruling.
After the ruling, Florida’s attorney general James Uthmeier declared that openly carrying firearms is legal statewide.
What does the change mean for gun owners in Palm Beach County?
Palm Beach County jurisdictions are governed by state and federal laws as Florida’s preemption law prevents local governments from regulating firearms or ammunition.
The change means that persons legally permitted to own a firearm may visibly display them in certain public places. Open carry means a person can publicly carry a legally owned firearm in plain sight or partially concealed, usually holstered.
Under state and federal law, openly carrying a firearm is still prohibited in several places, including locations where concealed weapons are also prohibited.
Under Florida law, places prohibiting firearms include police stations, detention facilities, courthouses or courtrooms, polling places, meetings of governmental bodies, athletic events, schools or school administrative offices, college campuses, career centers, bars, airport passenger terminals or any place where firearms are prohibited by federal law.
This sign greets shoppers at a Publix Super Market in Wellington, Florida. The state’s signature grocery store has announced it will follow a recent state legal ruling and allow the open carry of firearms in its stores.
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Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw cautions that the open carry policy is not a license to act brazenly with weapons.
“You as a citizen have a right to carry a gun, whether it’s concealed or open. You don’t have the right to be reckless or careless with it,” he said in a prepared statement.
A statement released by Publix said that law enforcement will be notified in any instance where a customer creates a “threatening, erratic or dangerous shopping experience.”
Florida’s open carry law: Can private companies set their own policies?
Owners of private properties, including grocery stores, malls and shopping plazas, can set their own policies as to whether firearms are permitted.
Local businesses have varying policies pertaining to firearms. Some permit customers to have concealed weapons, but ban open carry. Others prohibit firearms entirely.
The Gardens Mall website states that “The open display of weapons of any kind, including guns, knives, or other bladed or blunt force arms, is prohibited.”
The Mall at Wellington Green’s Green Code of Conduct states that weapons of any type are prohibited. A statement from Southeastern Grocers, the company that owns Winn-Dixie grocery stores, said open carry is still prohibited in its stores.
“Our priority is creating a safe and welcoming shopping experience for all customers and associates, “the statement said. “As a private business, our policy remains unchanged: We do not permit open carry of firearms inside our stores. We respectfully ask customers to secure firearms safely before entering, and we appreciate the continued cooperation that helps us maintain an environment where everyone feels comfortable.”
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida’s new open carry law: How does it affect Palm Beach County?
