TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Governor Ron DeSantis kicked off Florida’s new 2nd Amendment Sales Tax Holiday Monday. From ammunition and guns, to fishing rods and camping supplies, the 2025 2nd Amendment sales tax holiday will run through the end of the year until December 31.

“I know there’s going to be some of our residents that are going to save a pretty good chunk of change here,” DeSantis said.

While the new sales tax holiday is an enticing one for gun owners, some lawmakers fought hard against this tax break, unleashing heated debate on the house and senate floors.
“One by one, these students at FSU, the day right after, maybe two days after the shooting, were pleading with us not to include this in tax package,” said State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando).

During debate, critics of the move said this couldn’t have come at a worse time, passing the tax package just months after the deadly mass shooting on Florida State University’s campus.
“It’s very hard for me to want to incentivize more ammunition and more firearms in this state, we already have so much,” Eskamani said.

Even with the opposition, DeSantis plans to continue to fight for 2nd Amendment freedoms, especially when it comes to open carry laws.
“I’ve said for years that’d be something that I would sign — doesn’t seem to get off the ground, even with all those Republicans all running saying they’re 2nd Amendment, all banging their chest in the primaries, then get up to Tallahassee and not follow through,” DeSantis said.

While it has yet to make it through the finish line, Lt. Governor Jay Collins previously led legislation in support of 2nd Amendment rights. He’s hoping more efforts can be made heading into to next session.
“Hopefully this is the year, but we will continue to fight for those freedoms and those rights each and every day until we get them all back,” Collins said.

DeSantis addressed questions around gun safety concerns Monday, saying, “With rights come responsibility,” and encouraging folks to know what they are doing when handling firearms.