Fla. AG Uthmeier: Jacksonville officials maintained illegal registry of gun owners, violating state’s firearm preemption laws

OAN Staff Addie Davis and Brooke Mallory
4:25 PM – Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit seeking a $5 million civil penalty against the City of Jacksonville, alleging that the municipality maintained an illegal registry of law-abiding gun owners.

The legal action stems from “log books” kept between 2023 and 2025 by city personnel, which reportedly recorded the personal information and firearm details of individuals carrying weapons into government buildings like City Hall.

Uthmeier argues that this practice violates Florida’s preemption laws, which prohibit local governments from creating firearm registries — a restriction designed to protect the privacy and Second Amendment (2A) rights of citizens.

While a prior local investigation by the State Attorney’s Office found no criminal intent, the attorney general’s lawsuit contends that city management was complicit in maintaining the registry, thereby triggering the multimillion-dollar fine permitted under state statute.

“We are taking the City of Jacksonville to court for knowingly and willfully keeping an illegal gun registry in violation of Florida law,” Uthmeier asserted.

We are taking the City of Jacksonville to court for knowingly and willfully keeping an illegal gun registry in violation of Florida law. pic.twitter.com/0WNJ38c0xZ

— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) May 12, 2026

“Jacksonville city management approved and implemented a log book, a gun registry that required security officers to screen visitors and record the visitor’s name, age, state-issued ID number, and the weapon type of anyone found to be carrying a firearm,” he continued.

 

The unauthorized practice reportedly persisted for nearly two years until an encounter involving a citizen who was lawfully carrying a firearm. According to Uthmeier, the individual was denied entry into a government facility after refusing to provide personal details for the city’s log, effectively exposing the mandatory nature of the registry.

While State Attorney Melissa Nelson conducted a prior investigation into the matter, she ultimately declined to file criminal charges, citing a “lack of evidence” regarding willful intent. This decision has drawn sharp criticism from Uthmeier, who maintains that the city’s management was fully aware of the illegal data collection and should be held legally accountable for the statutory violations.

“The conclusion of this investigation without charges or accountability is unacceptable. State Attorney Melissa Nelson will be hearing from my office soon,” he posted to X in December, 2025. “The City of Jacksonville’s creation of a gun registry for any reason is unlawful and reprehensible. This isn’t over,” he continued.

 

The State Attorney’s Office acknowledged that the registry was unlawful, yet concluded that it was established without criminal intent by a single city manager.

According to reporting from First Coast News, investigators attributed the creation of the log to a systemic “breakdown in communication and oversight” rather than a deliberate attempt to break the law.

Nonetheless, Uthmeier has signaled a more aggressive stance by pursuing a $5 million judgment against Jacksonville. In addition to this substantial financial penalty, the lawsuit seeks any further relief the court deems appropriate to address the statutory violations and ensure future compliance with state firearm preemption mandates.

“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and we will use all power of this office to protect the rights of Floridians,” the attorney general continued.

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