Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville on Tuesday, alleging the local government maintained an illegal registry of firearms brought into public buildings.
The legal action follows a two-month probe into reports that security personnel at two city-owned locations recorded the personal details and firearm serial numbers of armed visitors over a two-year period.
Under Florida law, government entities are strictly prohibited from creating or maintaining lists of privately owned firearms. The controversy surfaced in 2025 when two binders containing these logs were discovered.
While a prior investigation by the State Attorney’s Office confirmed the registry was illegal, it declined to pursue criminal charges. That office concluded the logs were the result of a “breakdown in communication and oversight” by a single manager acting without the knowledge or approval of city leadership.
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Attorney General Uthmeier, however, argued that the lack of criminal intent does not excuse the violation of state statute.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and we will use all power of this office to protect the rights of Floridians,” Uthmeier stated in a video posted to X. He confirmed the state is seeking $5 million in damages—the maximum penalty allowed by law—along with additional court-ordered relief.
To prevail in court, state prosecutors must prove the registry was created with the “knowledge or complicity” of city management. This remains the central point of contention between the state and local officials.
Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration has consistently denied any involvement, characterizing the lawsuit as a partisan attack on a Democrat-led city. A spokesperson noted that the mayor’s office had not yet been served with the suit but referred to previous statements dismissing the investigation as “politically motivated deflections.”
“As we have stated from the very beginning, the records will show that Mayor Deegan and her leadership team were unaware of this action taken by an individual employee concerned about building security,” the city’s statement read. The administration further noted that the practice was terminated immediately upon discovery and criticized the state for wasting taxpayer dollars on litigation rather than addressing local affordability issues.
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