By Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sued the city of Jacksonville on Tuesday, accusing local officials of illegally keeping a list of gun owners and seeking financial penalties that could reach $5 million.
The lawsuit centers on a logbook system that city security officers allegedly used to record information about visitors who carried firearms into municipal buildings. The practice became public in May 2025, when a Republican city council member disclosed it to WJAX. The records reportedly included information on about 100 people.
Uthmeier, who opened an investigation in January, announced the lawsuit in a post on Twitter.
We are taking the City of Jacksonville to court for knowingly and willfully keeping an illegal gun registry in violation of Florida law. pic.twitter.com/0WNJ38c0xZ
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) May 12, 2026
“Today we are suing the city of Jacksonville for knowingly maintaining an illegal gun registry in violation of Florida law,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “In July 2023, after Mayor [Donna] Deegan took office, Jacksonville City management approved and implemented a logbook, a gun registry that required security officers to screen visitors and record the visitor’s name, age, state-issued ID number and the weapon type of anyone found to be carrying a firearm.”
According to Uthmeier, the city continued the practice until April 2025. That month, a person legally carrying a firearm was reportedly turned away from a city building after refusing to provide the personal information requested for the logbook.
“Florida law prohibits government entities from keeping a registry of privately owned firearms or their owners,” Uthmeier said. “The city’s logbooks maintained with city management’s knowledge and approval constitute such a registry.”
Neither Uthmeier’s office nor the city of Jacksonville immediately responded to requests for comment.
A report from the State Attorney’s Office said the logbooks were created at the direction of a city manager who mistakenly believed the policy had been approved by the city’s general counsel. State Attorney Melissa Nelson ultimately declined to pursue criminal charges against anyone involved, a decision that drew sharp criticism from Uthmeier. During the review, Nelson’s office issued subpoenas to nine current and former Jacksonville officials.
In a May 14, 2025, interview with WJAX, Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan said the person behind the policy was “very concerned about making sure that there was nothing to worry about in terms of security in the building.”
City records showed no indication that Deegan or her predecessor, former Mayor Lenny Curry, had direct knowledge of the practice while a draft policy was active, according to The Daily Caller.
Uthmeier had previously signaled that his office would take further action. On Dec. 31, he called Nelson’s decision not to file charges “unacceptable” and wrote: “The City of Jacksonville’s creation of a gun registry for any reason is unlawful and reprehensible. This isn’t over.”
In announcing the lawsuit Tuesday, Uthmeier framed the case as a defense of constitutional rights.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and we will use all power of this office to protect the rights of Floridians,” Uthmeier said.
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