Jacksonville Councilman Nick Howland (R) is raising alarms over what he alleges is an illegal firearm registry quietly maintained by city officials for nearly two years. According to Howland, security personnel at City Hall and the Yates Building in Jacksonville have been collecting personal information on armed citizens since July 2023.
Howland told Action News Jax that security guards at the two municipal buildings recorded names, firearm types, and other personal details of lawful gun carriers in physical notebooks. “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,” Howland stated.
Florida law strictly prohibits the creation of any registry of law-abiding gun owners. The alleged records—kept without public knowledge—may constitute a serious breach of both state statute and citizens’ privacy rights.
The State Attorney’s Office has reportedly launched an investigation. Mayor Donna Deegan’s (D) office acknowledged receipt of a subpoena related to the claims and confirmed full compliance with the legal request.
Councilman Howland, who chairs the Rules Committee, is calling for immediate meetings involving the Mayor’s Office, the Office of General Counsel, and the Public Works Department to address what he describes as an ongoing and unlawful registry effort.
Florida Politics reported that the city’s alleged actions could open it up to legal consequences, especially given the state’s strong preemption laws that bar local governments from enacting gun control measures beyond those authorized at the state level.
The issue has sparked concern among Second Amendment advocates and conservative officials who argue the alleged tracking of legal gun owners undermines fundamental rights and opens the door to unconstitutional surveillance of lawful citizens.
