Tallahassee – The Florida home is the third time it has reverted to a law that prohibits people under the age of 21 from purchasing rifles.
In the last two legislative sessions, the bill failed amid opposition from Senate Speaker Kathleen Pasidomo.
But this year, gun rights activists say they are more hopeful, pointing to new legislative leaders, court rulings and ongoing support from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Here’s what you need to know about the proposal and what it means to Floridians:
Why does Florida law restrict people under the age of 21 from purchasing rifles?
The law was a direct result of Parkland’s 2018 shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High, where 17 students and teachers died.
The gunman was 19 years old and used an AR-15 style rifle that he legally bought about a year ago.
The deadliest school shooting in US history took place in the middle of a Florida legislative conference. Families of the deceased begged lawmakers for a change. The result was a drastic, bipartisan gun and school safety package that Gov. Rick Scott signed the law.
The National Rifle Association opposed the bill and quickly challenged the requirement that someone turn 21 to buy a long gun. Federal law already required someone to be at least 21 years old to buy a handgun.
What is still permitted under current law?
Florida law prohibits people under the age of 21 only from selling or relocating firearms by licensed gun dealers or manufacturers.
Federal law already prohibits the sale of handguns to people under the age of 21, but people can buy rifles or long guns at least for the age of 18.
People under the age of 21 can own and use rifles.
Under the law, 18, 19, or 20 people can also purchase a rifle if they are law enforcement officers, corrections officers, or service members.
A service member is defined as someone who is active or active in the state serving as part of the US military, anyone in the Florida National Guard, or anyone in the US.
What did the court say?
The National Rifle Association immediately challenged Florida law after it was passed in 2018, claiming that the restrictions violated the rights of second amendments and equal protections to hold arms.
In 2023, a federal court of appeals upheld Florida law and said it was consistent with historic firearm restrictions.
On Friday, the Court of Appeals reaffirmed that the restrictions under the age of 21 were in effect.
“From its establishment until the late 19th century, our laws restricted the purchase of firearms by minors in different ways,” the court wrote. “Florida law also limits the purchase of firearms by minors, and for the same reason: an immature and impulsive individual like Nicholas Cruz stops hurting themselves and others with deadly weapons.”
The decision was upheld by eight judges in the court, including five judges appointed by the Democratic president and three justice appointed by the Republican president. Four judges, all of whom were appointed by President Donald Trump and opposed.
This decision sets possible challenges that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Earlier this year, another court of appeals found that federal age restrictions on firearms were unconstitutional.
Florida Attorney General James Usmieyer announced Friday that he was opposed to Florida’s age restrictions. He said on social media that he and his office would not defend the law if the Florida case moved to the Supreme Court (unlike his predecessor, Ashley Moody).
Are young people more likely to use guns?
The perpetrator of gun violence is likely young men, with a peak age of 18, says Daniel Webster, a well-known scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
However, Webster pointed out that gun violence is “more than anything else, it’s a problem with handguns.”
Webster noted that arrests reached the highest at age 18 and fell into all age groups afterwards, citing data from the FBI’s reporting system based on national cases of murder and non-negative manslaughter charges.
Webster said the prefrontal cortex, which plays a major role in decision-making, has not been developed until the age of 25 for men.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Guartieri said the idea behind limiting long gun purchases is to provide “speed bumps” to people aged 18, 19 or 20.
Gualtieri, chairman of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, said people of that age tend to be impulsive and the current law stops people from purchasing rifles on impulse.
“There’s nothing to prevent a 19-year-old from owning a rifle or a shotgun,” Gualtieri said.
Where do legislative leaders stand?
House Speaker R-Miami Daniel Perez said he supports the bill to reduce the age of rifles to 18. Perez said it was a “very emotional time” in 2018, saying Congress was trying to ensure that similar tragedy didn’t happen again.
“And that’s why the government is involved in the second amendment,” Perez said earlier this month.
Senate President R-Wauchula Ben Albritton says he is considering a proposal, but has yet to show whether he is for it.
