TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — New legislation filed Monday seeks to eliminate the training and licensing requirements that Florida requires residents to undertake in order to carry a concealed weapon in public.

The proposal (HB 543) would institute a new era of permit less carry throughout the state, making Florida the latest of roughly two dozen to do so.

Under the new legislation, residents and visitors alike would no longer need a concealed weapon permit, eliminating Florida’s existing training and licensing requirements.

House Speaker Paul Renner unveiled the legislation Monday at a press conference in Tallahassee alongside bill sponsors and a coalition of sheriffs.

Speaking to reporters, Renner said certain political movements and social factors, such as “defund the police 2.0” and “woke prosecutors,” are among the key reasons Republican lawmakers are pursuing such changes.

Also, he further rebuked concealed weapon permits as a “government permission slip” that falls short of the Second Amendment.

WATCH: Spectrum Bay News 9's Cait McVey speaks with Bay area gun shop owner

“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my history here on earth that we’ve needed the right to bear arms for individuals more than we do now,” said Renner.

The proposed changes are historic, yet controversial. Criticism of it came swiftly, from Democratic lawmakers to gun-safety advocates alike.

Critics fear the changes will lead to more violent crime. They also fear it threatens public safety by introducing more firearms into the public square. Giffords Courage, a national organization against gun violence, is among the critics.

“There is nothing safe about letting anyone and everyone carry loaded guns in crowded spaces, no questions asked,” said the group in a statement. “Permitless carry means more guns in public spaces. It means fistfights would turn into gunfights.”

Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani chastised the proposal Monday in a separate press conference alongside other Democratic lawmakers. She and colleagues note gun owners will now carry firearms with no required training, a possibility they deem as dangerous and reckless.

“Freedom should also include the freedom to live a life without gun violence,” said Eskamani, whose hometown city suffered the loss of 49 individuals in 2019 in a mass shooting. “For too many of us here and too many people in the state, we’ve experienced gun violence.”

Bay area gun shop owner and trainer Kevin West said he supports the measure but also hopes first-time gun owners opt in for training whether they have to or not.

“It’s just like if you’ve never driven a car, you shouldn’t just jump in a car and take off,” West said. “If you’ve never shot a gun or handled a gun, just carrying a gun could be dangerous." 

West, who owns West Armory, currently teaches a three-hour safety course that covers loading and unloading, storage and how to fire.

“As soon as (a gun) touches my hand, I check it to make sure it’s unloaded,” he told Spectrum Bay News 9’s Cait McVey. “If it leaves my hands and comes back, I check it again.”

Twenty-six states, including Texas and Georgia, allow permitless carry. More than 2.6 million Floridians, meanwhile, hold a concealed weapon permit.

The bill does not impact who or who is not legally allowed to carry a firearm. Nor does it allow for open carry. Tampa Republican Sen. Jay Collins and Macclenny Republican Rep. Chuck Brannan are the bill sponsors. 

“… Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the government will not get in the way of law-abiding Americans who want to defend themselves and their families,” said Collins. “I am looking forward to passing this vital legislation to codify our rights as U.S. citizens to keep and bear arms.”

Notably, the bill is an opportunity for Gov. Ron DeSantis to make good on a campaign promise. In April 2022, he vowed to sign off on such legislation if delivered by lawmakers.

“I can tell you that before I am done as Governor, we will have a signature on that bill,” DeSantis told supporters at an event in April 2022.

Spectrum Bay News 9 reporter Cait McVey contributed to this report.