Overview
- Attorney General James Uthmeier, who filed the suit Tuesday, seeks up to $5 million and says Jacksonville knowingly kept a banned firearms registry.
- He alleges city management approved logs at City Hall and the Yates Building from July 2023 to April 2025 that recorded names, birthdates, ID numbers, and weapon types for more than 100 people.
- The Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office found no criminal intent after an eight-month review, said the practice stopped once discovered, and reported no evidence the information was shared or used by police.
- Uthmeier argues the law’s “knowingly and willfully” standard is met if staff intended to keep the logs and knew they tracked private guns, saying ignorance of the law is not a defense.
- One visitor was denied entry in April 2025 after refusing to give details, and a court ruling could bring fines and tighter oversight of city security policies.