JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Friday, there was more fallout from the discovery that the city of Jacksonville has likely kept an extended list of the names of people entering City Hall with concealed weapons.
As Action News Jax reported Thursday, such government lists are prohibited under state law.
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Only on Action News Jax, former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is responding to claims that the gun owner registry policy actually started during his time in office.
We were first to report about an alleged gun owner registry, collecting personal information about people bringing concealed weapons into city buildings, including City Hall.
A day later, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s office said the policy was in place before she took office in July 2023.
RELATED: Councilman claims the City of Jacksonville may have created an illegal gun registry
Here is the full statement from Deegan’s office:
“The policy in question was created and written before Mayor Deegan took office. In light of the issue that has been raised, we are undergoing a review of all policy directives, particularly those from the previous administration that were left for us on their way out. Mayor Deegan and the leadership of her administration fully support constitutionally protected rights.
“As we stated yesterday, the City of Jacksonville has received and complied with a subpoena from the State Attorney’s Office. Out of respect and in full cooperation with their review, we do not have further comment at this time.”
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Florida law prohibits state and local governments from creating lists of gun owners. Curry said Deegan was trying to deflect blame.
“I mean, the first thing I would say in response to them trying to pin this on me and my team, no employee in my organization kept and logged citizens exercising their constitutional rights. The Deegan administration can’t say that,” Curry said.
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News that the city was collecting personal details like first and last names, contact information, and the type of guns visitors to City Hall and the Yates Building were carrying, brought swift condemnation from Republicans and Deegan’s critics.
“In those notebooks for two years, that info has been gathered. Florida is a no-registry state. So, that is a clear violation of state law,” Jacksonville City Council member Nick Howland (R-Group 3, At-Large).
When we asked Deegan’s office if the alleged gun lists had been given to the State Attorney’s Office, the mayor’s office told us, “The City of Jacksonville has received and complied with a subpoena from the State Attorney’s Office.”
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Howland said he has now asked the Mayor’s Office, the Office of General Counsel, and Public Works officials to discuss the “illegal firearm registry” during Monday’s City Council Rules Committee Meeting.
Curry denies his administration played any role.
“I did not have employees working for me that were logging the names of private citizens, violating their constitutional rights. This administration did, and that’s why they’re under investigation,” Curry said.
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