TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On Wednesday, state lawmakers in the House passed a bill lowering the firearm purchase age to 18, down from the current minimum of 21.
Florida Republicans have pushed several previous versions of the bill in the state House. Now, the latest version of the legislation, House Bill 759, has passed and will head to the state Senate.
Rep. Michelle Salzman (R-Cantonment), who sponsored the legislation, argued that the change was about fairness.
“At 18 to 20 years old, you can be tried for crimes and sentenced to death,” Salzman said. “You can enter into contracts. You can sue. You can be sued. You can get married and you can own property. House Bill 759 seeks to rectify an inconsistency in our legal framework by ensuring all adult citizens in Florida are afforded their full Second Amendment rights.”
If the bill becomes law, it would allow 18 to 20-year-olds to purchase long guns from licensed dealers across the state. However, handguns will largely remain restricted to those 21 and older due to federal regulations.
As with previous attempts, the debate over the bill has sparked familiar arguments. Supporters see it as a move to restore Second Amendment rights, while opponents have raised concerns about the safety and maturity of young gun owners.
While the Florida House has passed similar age reduction legislation before, the measure faltered in the Senate due to opposition from leadership. This year, however, Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow) has signaled openness to the idea.
“The most important thing I want to do is to do what's right,” said the new leader. “Certainly, the most important thing that I don't want to do is make a mistake. So I'm thinking through that on what that could or could not look like.”
It remains unclear where Senate leadership will ultimately end up on the issue. Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) has introduced an upper chamber version of the bill to lower the purchase age. However, it has yet to be scheduled for its first committee hearing, leaving the path forward uncertain.
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