Florida Soon to be Number One in Concealed Gun Permits
Thursday, July 26, 2012
By: Gina Jordan

July 26, 2012 | WMFE - Florida will soon become the first state to have more than a million active concealed weapons permits. The deadly shooting spree in a Colorado movie theatre last week has prompted calls for more gun control. But officials at the agency that approves weapons permits says residents are merely exercising their 2nd amendment rights.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says the state is on track to have more than a million active permits within the next two months.
“We are consistently in the range of 10 to 12 thousand permits issued per month.” Putnam said.
Florida’s concealed weapons permitting program was approved by the Legislature in 1987.
Since then, more than 2.2 million permits have been issued. Many have expired since they’re only valid for 7 years.
Out of all those permits, only 6200 have been permanently revoked, most of those because the owners committed crimes.
Commissioner Putnam says that’s a very small percentage.
“There continues to be an extraordinarily small number of concealed weapons license holders who break the law.” Putnam said.
Applicants for concealed carry permits are asked about their criminal history, drug use, and mental health.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducts background checks on every person who buys a gun and everyone who applies for a concealed carry permit.