JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An investigation into a registry of people legally carrying firearms into Jacksonville’s City Hall and the Yates Building has found no evidence of criminal intent, the state attorney’s office said.
The registries came to light in the spring after it was revealed that since July 2023, security guards at both buildings recorded personal and firearm information from people entering while legally carrying guns.
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This practice began after the state passed its new constitutional carry law, HB 543, but state law has long prohibited government agencies from keeping records or lists of private gun owners or their firearms.
The state attorney’s office learned that the directive to keep the logbooks originated with a public works manager — a decision never reviewed or approved by the city’s Office of General Counsel or senior officials in either the Lenny Curry or Donna Deegan administrations. Mayor Deegan took office in July 2023.
Investigators said no one knowingly or intentionally violated the law. The public works manager added the logbook requirement to gather data on how many people carried firearms into city buildings, believing it would improve emergency preparedness. However, he did not realize it created a legal problem.
The state attorney’s office also said the information collected was never misused or shared, and there was no evidence the data was distributed, copied, or used for law enforcement or any other purpose.
The investigation also uncovered a breakdown in communication and oversight. While city lawyers reviewed the impacts of the constitutional carry law, they were focused on other matters and did not review the directive to keep the registry.
The state attorney’s office recommended stronger legal reviews and oversight, along with a full audit of existing security policies.
READ MORE: State Attorney’s Investigative Memo
Mayor Donna Deegan’s office released this statement in response to the State Attorney’s Office report:
“The City of Jacksonville fully cooperated with State Attorney Nelson and her office from start to finish, and we thank them for conducting a careful and thorough review. They confirmed that the policy in question was implemented by an individual employee concerned with building security unbeknownst to Mayor Deegan or her leadership team. This practice immediately ended when it was brought to the administration’s attention. Jacksonville will always follow the law and support constitutionally protected rights.”