Florida AG Targets Park Gun Ban

Florida's attorney general just told another city to take down its gun ban signs — and he's got the statute to back it up.

Driving the news: AG James Uthmeier sent a formal warning letter to Winter Garden, Florida, ordering officials to remove firearm prohibition signage at Tucker Ranch Recreation and Nature Complex. The city's ban on weapons and firearms in the park violates Florida's preemption law, Section 790.33, which strips local governments of any authority to set their own gun rules.

Catch up quick:

• Florida's preemption statute has been on the books for years — local governments simply cannot regulate firearms, period.
• Broward County tried to ban weapons in taxis. Courts invalidated it. Same legal principle applies here.
• Uthmeier has been using this authority aggressively: he's also sued Jacksonville over an illegal gun-owner registry and fought Florida's own open-carry ban in court.

The Uthmeier letter goes further than just the "no firearms" signage. He's demanding removal of any vague "no weapons" language too, since most people reasonably understand "weapons" to include firearms. At minimum, he wants posted notice that lawfully carried firearms are permitted.

What's next: Winter Garden has 30 days to demonstrate compliance. Failure to act opens the city to a civil lawsuit from the AG's office.

The legal question: Private property owners still hold their rights here. A business or private venue can post clear signage banning firearms — and if you're carrying and refuse to leave after being told, that's criminal trespass. What they cannot do is fire you for having a gun locked in your car in their parking lot. Florida statute is explicit on that.

Between the lines: Uthmeier's public post on X immediately drew Floridians flagging other suspected violations — West Palm Beach's Grassy Waters Preserve, Brightline trains, TriRail. This isn't ending with one park in a suburb of Orlando.

"Winter Garden's prohibition of firearms in parks violates section 790.33, Florida statutes, and is null and void." — AG James Uthmeier, warning letter to Winter Garden officials

The bottom line: When a state AG is willing to use the statute as written, illegal local gun bans don't survive long. Florida gun owners have a real ally at the top of the legal chain right now.