Gun Permit Requests Dampen Agency's Powder

TAMPA - A skyrocketing number of applications for concealed weapons licenses has hindered the state agency that screens people for the documents from, at times, suspending or revoking the permits in a timely manner, according to a state audit released this week.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says the number of applications for the licenses has risen 30 percent to 50 percent since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but the agency's staff has not increased in pace with the "incredible workload," agency spokesman Terence McElroy said.

As a result, the agency lagged as much as 544 days in updating a sampling of cases where licenses or applications should have been suspended, revoked or denied, according to an audit of the process by the state Auditor General.

Under state law, no one convicted of a felony or under a domestic violence injunction may carry a concealed firearm. Concealed weapons licenses should be suspended, revoked or denied within 20 days after the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services receives information that the permit holder is disqualified through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Corrections or similar entity.

McElroy said Thursday shortcomings have been addressed with updated computer systems and staff retraining. "There's no suggestion in this audit that people are getting concealed weapons permits that shouldn't be," he said.

The agency is heeding the auditor's suggestion to work with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to develop a "sensible system" in which screeners can review felony warrants that might be disqualifying. The agency doesn't want to disqualify people in arrears for court fees, for instance, McElroy said.

He did not know how Congress' approval Wednesday of federal money to help states identify potential firearms buyers with mental health problems that disqualify them from gun ownership would affect the agency's workload.

The audit focused on records filed between March 1, 2005, and Feb. 28, 2007, as well as "selected actions" through June 30. It tested 40 out of 113,568 concealed weapons licenses issued during that time frame and 35 of the 103,164 renewed, as well as administrative actions.

There were eight instances among 34 reviewed where a license had not been suspended within the 20-day time frame. In one case, a license was not suspended until 54 days after the screening agency received information that the licensee had been arrested on charges of resisting an officer without violence and using a firearm while under the influence, the audit states.

In another case, the agency failed to suspend a license application for 544 days after the licensee failed to meet a deadline for submitting disposition about a criminal record, the audit states. No license had been granted, but the application remained active in the system, the audit states.