Gun advocacy group Florida Carry took aim at another Florida state school Monday.
This time, Eastern Florida State College is facing legal action after it released a statement concerning a shooting on the college’s Palm Bay campus last week.
UF, the subject of another lawsuit from Florida Carry, filed a motion to dismiss the group’s suit against the university’s ban of firearms on campus Friday.
The news release stated EFSC would be maintaining its ban on storing firearms in vehicles on campus, despite some Florida universities redacting their policies after Florida’s First District Court of Appeal ruled against the University of North Florida on the issue.
The college was awaiting a final ruling by the court before changing its policy, but Florida Carry’s Sean Caranna said the court has already made a decision.
Caranna said the only thing left unsettled in the case are attorney fees, which means the court’s opinion is already in effect. The court ruled in December 2013 that bans against storing firearms in vehicles on state campuses are unlawful.
However, EFSC spokesman John Glisch said the college was in the process of changing its policy before Florida Carry filed the suit.
“We’re moving to change the policy to be in compliance with the court decision and the law,” Glisch said. “After that, Florida Carry might just move on.”
Caranna said that if the college changes its policy to be in compliance, the group will drop its lawsuit — but until then, Florida Carry will continue to sue any state campus that doesn’t fall in line with the court’s decision.
According to Duval County court records, UNF also filed a motion to dismiss within the early months of its lawsuit.
Caranna said motions to dismiss are fairly common, and he’s “really not all that concerned.”
According to UF’s motion to dismiss, Florida Carry’s lawsuit “fails to demonstrate standing” for its claims that the university violated the Florida Constitution and various state statutes because of its anti-gun vehicle and residency policies. It also stated Florida Carry failed to mention even one of its members who was “substantially affected” by the university’s alleged violation of the December court decision.
Caranna said he believes otherwise.
“I think they need to re-read our brief, because it does say that,” he said.
He said Florida Carry refuses to name its members in UF’s faculty and student body, because they fear academic or other reprisals from the university.
UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said last week that she could not comment on the university’s legal proceedings.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 2/5/2014 under the headline "Florida Carry targets another school with lawsuit"]
