Florida Attorney General Opens Review After State Probe Clears Jacksonville of Criminal Gun Registry Violations
State-level scrutiny continues after local prosecutors decline charges
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has signaled further action related to an investigation into firearm logbooks kept at Jacksonville city buildings, a practice critics characterized as an unlawful “gun registry.” The development comes after the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit concluded its criminal investigation without filing charges, citing a lack of evidence that anyone acted knowingly and willfully in violation of state law.
The logbooks became public in spring 2025 and centered on security procedures at two city facilities where guards recorded personal information and firearm details from people entering while legally carrying weapons. The entries included identifying information and weapon descriptions, according to investigative accounts of the policy.
How the logbooks started and why they raised legal questions
Investigators traced the directive to a public works manager who added the logbook requirement after Florida’s permitless carry law took effect in 2023. The stated purpose was to understand how often firearms were brought into city buildings and to inform emergency planning. The practice was discontinued in April 2025 after it was brought to the attention of city leadership.
Florida law broadly prohibits government entities and their employees from keeping a list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or firearm owners. The statute also provides for penalties that can include criminal exposure for individuals and potential civil fines against a government entity of up to $5 million if a court finds the registry was compiled or maintained with management’s knowledge or complicity.
Timeline: The logging practice began in July 2023 and ended in April 2025.
Scope: Records were kept at security checkpoints at city buildings for entrants carrying firearms.
Key legal issue: Whether the conduct met the law’s “knowingly and willfully” standard for criminal enforcement.
Findings: no evidence of intentional wrongdoing or data misuse
The State Attorney’s Office determined there was no evidence the information was distributed, copied, or used for law enforcement or other purposes. Investigators concluded the incident was driven by poor communication and insufficient legal review rather than deliberate misconduct. The report also found the directive was not reviewed or approved by the city’s Office of General Counsel or senior officials across the transition between the Curry and Deegan administrations.
The investigative conclusions emphasized a breakdown in oversight and recommended stronger legal review processes for new policies, along with an audit of existing security procedures.
What happens next
Even without criminal charges at the local level, the matter remains politically and legally active. Uthmeier publicly criticized the lack of accountability and indicated his office would follow up with State Attorney Melissa Nelson. The attorney general’s office has authority under the statute to pursue civil action in certain circumstances tied to enforcement of fines if a court finds the required level of management knowledge or complicity.
For Jacksonville, the next steps are likely to hinge on whether any further state review identifies grounds for civil enforcement, and on how quickly the city implements recommended policy controls intended to prevent future violations.