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NewsFlorida BulldogJune 25, 2026Broward

Appeals Court Rules 18- to 20-Year-Olds Can Carry Concealed Weapons

The Fourth District Court of Appeal has struck down a Florida law that prohibited individuals aged 18 to 20 from carrying concealed weapons. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier declined to appeal the decision, effectively ending the state's defense of the 1987 statute.

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Why It Matters

Residents aged 18-20 in Florida are now legally permitted to carry concealed firearms, a change that reverses a nearly 40-year-old state restriction.

Key Facts

  • The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that the state law barring 18- to 20-year-olds from carrying concealed weapons is unconstitutional.
  • Attorney General James Uthmeier declined to appeal the ruling to the Florida Supreme Court, effectively allowing the lower court's decision to stand.
  • The ruling invalidates a 1987 Florida law that previously prohibited adults under 21 from bearing hidden weapons.
  • Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor attempted to intervene to defend the law, but was denied the ability to represent the state by the Attorney General's office.
  • The court's decision was unanimous, authored by Judge Spencer Levine and joined by Judges Jeffrey Kuntz and Shannon Shaw.
  • The case originated from the arrest of 18-year-old Jaylen Eubanks, who was found with a handgun in his waistband.
  • The Broward State Attorney's office argued that 18- to 20-year-olds commit a disproportionate share of gun homicides, citing Florida Department of Law Enforcement data.

Who's Mentioned

personDan Daley“Florida State Representative.”personJaylen Eubanks“Individual whose arrest for concealed carry triggered the legal challenge.”personHarold Pryor“Broward State Attorney who attempted to defend the law in court.”personNikolas Cruz“Convicted perpetrator of the 2018 Parkland school shooting.”organizationFourth District Court of Appeal“The court that ruled the concealed carry restriction unconstitutional.”personJames Uthmeier“Florida Attorney General who declined to appeal the court ruling.”personSpencer Levine“Judge on the 4th DCA who wrote the opinion.”personRon DeSantis“Governor of Florida.”