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TV program on FLA law

With regard the Florida TV broadcast mentioned below ... the version of the story online reportedly started out with a link to a list of names and addresses of Floridians who hold CCW permits. That'd be consistent with the story's lead ... why, anyone around you might have a CCW permit, so be scared! Here's a discussion on radio host Pat Campbell's blog. Needless to say, CCW holders are quite sensitive to this sort of thing... apart from the broad invasion of privacy, a thieves interested in firearms would be handed the equivalent of a shopping list. It's as welcome as, oh, the media releasing names, addresses, and value of jewelry in each home.

It turns out that the names and addresses are available online, at a Florida government website! I won't link to it -- no sense increasing the risk. I think Floridians might start looking into statutes along the lines of other states, which secure the privacy of CCW lists.

Some local bloggers are contending the State action is a violation of a 2005 Florida law. I haven't had time to track all that the statute's exemptions and provisions. It does look like (3)(o), which exempts records under sec. 790.06, the CCW permit statute, covers it, so that it's not a violation. The 2005 statute is aimed at prohibiting lists of firearms and firearms owners, not at ensuring that such lists as allowed are kept private.

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