An investigation spearheaded by the State Attorney’s Office is currently underway in Jacksonville after the city was found to be maintaining a potentially illegal gun registry. Councilman Nick Howland brought the matter to light, revealing that logs of gun owners had been kept at City Hall and the Yates Building, a practice which contradicts Florida law. "This is information that everyone in Jacksonville needs to know," Howland said, First Coast News reported. Concerns are high as these revelations could leave taxpayers liable for millions in penalties.
Florida Carry's general counsel, Eric Friday pointed out that green notebooks labeled "weapons and firearms logs" were used to document the names of gun owners, calling the action a "criminal offense." Friday also highlighted that individuals who did not comply with information requests about firearm ownership were consequently denied entry to conduct business with the city. "That is not acceptable," Friday said, in a meeting that took place yesterday. According to First Coast News, infractions such as these could result in up to $5 million in fines per violation.
City officials were reportedly made aware of the gun registry on April 21, prompting the immediate hiring of the Bedell Law Firm to deal with potential legal repercussions. News4JAX confirmed, the original allegation was brought forth by a member of Florida Carry, which instigated the subsequent investigations. Michael Fackler, City General Counsel confirmed that recording of legally carrying firearm visitors at city buildings has been halted, News4JAX reported. The timeline given by Fackler indicates the city only recently became aware of the issue and promptly responded.
Meanwhile, some City Council members have come to the defense of Mayor Donna Deegan, who they believe is not personally responsible for the creation of the registry. Councilman Rahman Johnson stated, "I don’t believe that the mayor personally walked in and decided that 'I’ll create this registry,'" as First Coast News detailed. The contentious topic also led to a heated discussion among Jacksonville City Council members earlier this week, with the focus on the alleged unlawful nature of the gun registry, as reported by Action News Jax. Further developments in the investigation are awaited as the city grapples with the legal and ethical implications of this firearm registry case.
