WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a warning and deadline after the city of Winter Garden reportedly posted signs at a local park.
In a release, Uthmeier said he sent the letter because the city had put up signs banning firearms at Tucker Ranch Recreation and Nature Complex, which Uthmeier argued violates state law.
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“Florida law declares that the regulation of firearms, including possession, is entirely preempted by the State,” he wrote. “Any municipal ordinance, rule, or regulation that regulates firearms is void.”
To demonstrate his point, Uthmeier brought up Broward County, which tried to ban “weapons” in taxis, though the ordinance was deemed invalid due to the state’s preemption.
As a result, Uthmeier declared that Winter Garden’s prohibition on guns in parks is “null and void.”
“Winter Garden is not permitted to enforce any rule purporting to prohibit firearms in this way,” he continued.
Now, Uthmeier is urging the city to remove references to “firearms” and “weapons” from the sign at Tucker Ranch Recreation and Nature Complex.
He provided a deadline of Aug. 15 for Winter Garden to confirm the change, as well as to verify that the city will not enforce any unlawful regulations of firearms.
“Failure to correct these signs will result in appropriate legal action by my office,” he concluded.