DeSantis previously said that he'd support open permitless carry of firearms because "if it's concealed, it makes it easier for somebody to potentially do a crime." He added that he wouldn't veto a permitless concealed carry bill from his legislature if it didn't have open carry. He signed the bill into law on April 3, 2023.
A March University of North Florida poll of 1,452 registered voters found that just 21% of people in the state support concealed carry without a permit, with 77% of those polled saying they oppose the bill strongly or somewhat.