Jacksonville council member claims city has illegal gun registry

Controversy is brewing in Jacksonville, Florida, where a city council member has accused the city’s Democrat mayor of boasting an illegal gun registry.

Councilman Nick Howland, a Republican, recently made the bombshell accusation in an interview with Action News Jax, though the original allegation was reportedly made by a gun rights non-profit known as Florida Carry.

This is chilling—and it should outrage every law-abiding Floridian.

The Deegan Administration has kept a registry of individuals who lawfully carry personal firearms into City Hall—a blatant violation of state law and likely the Constitution. Florida is a “no registry” state for… https://t.co/M1ZMx7rxQm

— Nick Howland (@NickHowland15) May 1, 2025

He said that the nonsense started on July 1st, 2023, when a state law went into effect preventing local governments from barring legal gun owners from carrying concealed weapons in government facilities. That was also the same day Mayor Donna Deegan, a Democrat, assumed office.

That same month, the private security guards working the entrance of two city facilities began keeping a list of anyone who entered them with a firearm or two, Howland claimed.

He further alleged that these lists were kept at both City Hall and the Yates Building, the latter of which contains the Tax Collector and Property Appraiser’s Offices.

“They were asked to document their first name, last name, contact information and the type of firearm they were carrying,” Howland said. “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.”

He was right.

“Florida law prohibits the creation of lists of gun owners,” Action News Jax notes. “Violations by local governments come with a civil penalty of up to $5 million and individuals who violate the law could be charged with a 3rd degree felony.”

The good news is that the State Attorney’s Office has launched an investigation, according to Howland. The bad news is the office refused to confirm this to local media. However, when pressed, the Mayor’s Office admitted that it was recently subpoenaed by the State Attorney’s Office.

“The City of Jacksonville has received and complied with a subpoena from the State Attorney’s Office,” a Mayor’s Office spokesperson said. “Out of respect and in full cooperation with their review, we won’t be commenting further at this time.”

As for the documents themselves, the spokesperson said, “A document responsive to this request is not in the City of Jacksonville’s possession.”

Howland meanwhile wants to know the name of the person who gave the original order for a gun registry to be established.

“It is interesting that this registry starts being kept the same month that this administration has started office, but it’s not up to me to determine who has given the directive,” he said. “It’s up to the State Attorney.”

Following the publication of Action News Jax’s report on Thursday, Deegan’s office issued a statement admitting the existence of a gun registry but claiming that the list was established before she assumed office.

“The policy in question was created and written before Mayor Deegan took office,” an office spokesperson said.

“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,” they added.

But former Mayor Mayor Lenny Curry, a Republican, has forcefully denied that his administration had anything to do with the gun registry. He’s also joined Howland in blaming Deegan for the illegal mishap:

BREAKING: Former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry scathes reported “gun registry” run by the Mayor Deegan Administration at City Hall

“Under Florida law, cities cannot track, list, or register lawful gun owners. Period.”

“If the current administration has been keeping tabs on who… pic.twitter.com/JkkhQJEoBE

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) May 1, 2025

As for Florida Carry, the group that made the original accusation, they admitted in a tweet this Saturday that it was them who informed local law enforcement, including the State Attorney’s Office, about the list:

It is a felony to create a registry of gun owners in Florida. A member of Florida Carry informed us recently of the @CityofJax registry at city bldgs. We immediately took action to verify the claim and notify law enforcement. We are cooperating with multiple LE agencies. https://t.co/TSnvbJ9YeX

— Florida Carry (@FloridaCarryInc) May 3, 2025

Senior Staff Writer
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

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