Major Florida City Accused of Illegal Gun Registry

The city of Jacksonville, Florida, is under investigation for allegedly keeping an illegal registry of gun owners who entered public buildings – a practice that violates state law. According to News4JAX reporter Tarik Minor, subpoenas have been issued by the State Attorney’s Office to multiple current and former city officials as investigators dig into a potentially explosive scandal involving citizen gun rights.

Florida law clearly prohibits any state or local government from creating or maintaining a list of firearm owners. Yet, investigators found evidence of logbooks at security checkpoints in City Hall and the Yates Building, which included names, ages, ID details, and types of firearms carried by visitors, all without public knowledge or consent.

Subpoenas Target Top City Officials

Tarik Minor reports that the subpoenas demand communications, including emails and texts, containing terms like “gun,” “weapon,” and “registry.” Among those named are Chief Administrative Officer Karen Bowling, former acting General Counsel Bob Rhodes, former General Counsel Jason Teal, and former Public Safety Chief Lakeisha Burton – all individuals with close ties to the city’s leadership during the alleged violations.

Interestingly, Mayor Donna Deegan herself was not subpoenaed. She has insisted that the registry was created before she took office and that it was promptly discontinued once her administration became aware of it. “We stopped it,” she stated plainly, according to News4JAX.

Policy Quietly Began in 2023

The practice appears to have started in July 2023, according to reporting by First Coast News journalist Sydney Dishon. Green notebooks labeled “weapons and firearms logs” were kept at city entrances, recording personal firearm data from anyone entering the buildings armed. The notebooks reportedly sat in plain view on tables but were unknown to the broader public until recently.

Eric Friday, general counsel for Florida Carry, emphasized the severity of the discovery. “That is a criminal offense in the state of Florida,” he said, pointing to Florida Statute 790.335, which bans any such recordkeeping. Friday also stated that citizens who refused to disclose their firearm information were turned away from city business – an alleged civil rights violation.

$5 Million Fines and Felony Charges Possible

The legal implications are huge. Sydney Dishon reports that each violation could carry a penalty of up to $5 million, with individual city officials potentially facing third-degree felony charges. In response, the city quickly retained the Bedell Law Firm to represent it in both civil and criminal matters.

Councilman Nick Howland warned that taxpayers could be on the hook if the city is found liable. “This is information that everyone in Jacksonville needs to know,” he said at a tense city council meeting. “We need to get to the bottom of it.”

Council Tension Erupts Over Blame

Monday’s meeting revealed a sharp divide within the city council. While some members pointed fingers at Mayor Deegan’s administration, others defended her, emphasizing that the policy predates her term. Councilman Rahman Johnson said it was “misleading” to suggest she had personally initiated the registry. Councilman Matt Carlucci added that it felt like the mayor was being “proven guilty before she’s had a chance to prove her innocence.”

Despite being asked to attend, Deegan’s administration did not appear at the council meeting. Councilman Ron Salem expressed frustration, urging his colleagues to either re-request their presence or issue a subpoena.

Mayor Deegan Says Her Team Stopped the Practice

Mayor Deegan responded to the controversy with a written statement, shared by Sydney Dishon in her report: “The policy in question was created and written before Mayor Deegan took office… We are undergoing a review of all policy directives, particularly those from the previous administration that were left for us on their way out.”

Deegan also emphasized that her administration supports constitutionally protected rights and that they are cooperating fully with the investigation. Her words struck a tone of exasperation with the political back-and-forth: “There seems to be a very concerted effort to always lay blame at the feet of this administration,” she told Tarik Minor, calling the situation “certainly political.”

Gun Rights Advocate Jared Yanis Reacts

Gun rights commentator Jared Yanis of Guns & Gadgets weighed in strongly on the situation, calling it a “serious breach of Florida law.” In a recent video, Yanis criticized Jacksonville’s government for overreach. “This isn’t a hypothetical – it’s a reality,” he said. He described the incident as a direct violation of both privacy and Second Amendment rights.

Yanis pointed to Florida’s clear statute forbidding any registry of private gun ownership and noted that violating it is a third-degree felony with penalties up to $5 million. “I didn’t believe it when I read it myself,” he said. “But there it is – documented names, ID numbers, and weapon types. That’s a registry.”

Attorney General Joins the Chorus of Concern

Florida Attorney General James Umer also commented on the case, saying, “If true, this is a serious breach of Florida law by the city of Jacksonville government.” His statement, cited by Yanis, emphasized that gun registries are “antithetical to the right of the people to keep and bear arms.” These words add significant weight to the growing criticism and highlight the potential for statewide political consequences.

If AG Umer takes formal action or joins the state attorney’s case, it could trigger a broader review of compliance with firearm privacy laws in other municipalities.

A Dangerous Precedent?

There’s a bigger story here than just one city’s alleged misconduct. As Jared Yanis pointed out, “This case could catalyze broader scrutiny of similar practices in other jurisdictions.” It raises the question – how many other local governments might be quietly keeping records on law-abiding gun owners?

Whether intentional or not, Jacksonville may have set a dangerous precedent. If the registry was created under the radar and remained in place for months without oversight, how many more cities could be doing the same?

Government Overreach Can’t Be Ignored

To me, this is one of the clearest examples of why vigilance matters. Even in a pro-gun state like Florida, local governments can find quiet ways to collect and misuse information. Whether it was a leftover policy or a rogue directive, it shouldn’t have taken a whistleblower or media coverage to bring it to light.

What’s especially troubling is the denial of city services to people who refused to disclose their firearm ownership. That’s not just a policy misstep – it’s a constitutional red flag. If this investigation finds wrongdoing, accountability should follow. Not just for those who created the policy, but for those who knew and stayed silent.

What Happens Next?

With subpoenas issued, outside counsel hired, and political pressure mounting, Jacksonville is at the center of a legal firestorm. Some city leaders have called for a special investigative committee, but most agree it’s best to wait for the state attorney’s findings before taking further action.

In the meantime, as Jared Yanis put it, “Stay vigilant, stay free.” Gun owners across Florida and beyond will be watching closely to see whether Jacksonville faces real consequences – or just quietly rewrites the rules again.