Florida has fast-tracked nearly 8,000 concealed carry permits since a policy shift allowing the special handling of permits for military personnel was announced on July 27.
According to North Escambia, the policy, announced by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, came just days after four Marines and one sailor were shot and killed in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Governor Rick Scott (R) initially “called for the state to expedite processing of new concealed-weapons licenses for members of the National Guard [and] Putnam expanded [it] to all active-duty military members and honorably discharged veterans.”
As implemented, the stated goal of the policy was to fast-track the process of approving concealed carry permit applications for military personnel so that the whole process was completed “within 30 days.” But Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Licensing director Greg Bevis said the process is going so smoothly that approvals are actually occurring in about six days for people who turn in “a complete application [with] a clean background.”
Exactly 7,549 concealed carry permits for military personnel had been fast-tracked by September 21, and another 900 are already in the pipeline.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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