Rollback of Parkland-inspired age limits on gun purchases clears House committee

Michelle Salzman. Image via Colin Hackley.

Legislation that could roll back age restrictions on gun purchases put in place after the Parkland shooting cleared its first House committee.

The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee advanced a bill (HB 759) that would reduce the age limit to buy firearms from 21 to 18. That follows a call from Gov. Ron DeSantis to roll back restrictions signed by his predecessor, former Gov. Rick Scott, in the wake of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

“At 18 to 20 years old, you can be tried for crimes and sentenced to death. You can sign contracts, can sue and be sued,” said Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Pensacola Republican.

“You can get married and you can own property. House Bill 759 rectifies an inconsistency in our legal framework by ensuring that all adult citizens in Florida are afforded their full second amendment rights by lowering the minimum age for firearm purchases to 18. We acknowledge the responsibilities and rights that come with adulthood.”

The bill passed on a 13-5 vote. It now heads to the House Judiciary Committee.

In the 2018 Parkland attack, a 19-year-old shooter killed 17 people, including 14 teenage students, and injured 18 others. He used an AR-15 rifle he purchased from a gun shop shortly before the crime.

Gun control advocacy groups vocally opposed the potential change in gun-buying age, which many lobbied for in the aftermath of the shooting.

“After that tragedy, Florida did the right thing by raising the minimum age to buy a long gun to 21. That law has saved lives,” said Fiona Shannon, who leads the League of Women Voters’ gun safety committee.

“Now there was a push to undo that progress, to lower the age back to 18. Why? What has changed? Have we forgotten the pain of Parkland? Have we forgotten the parents who still wake up every day missing their children, the teachers who sacrifice their lives to shield their students?”

But gun rights advocates say it’s unconstitutional to restrict the right to purchase firearms for adults. Luis Valdes, Florida State Director for Gun Owners of America, said similar legislation has already run into legal trouble in other states, including Tennessee and Minnesota.

“On top of that, the Parkland situation was an abject failure of government, not gun control,” Valdes said. “Gun control doesn’t solve anything. The shooter had over 30 points of contact with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and at no point did they take the proper action with him.”

Democrats on the committee criticized House Republicans taking up a rollback of restrictions for the third year in a row. Rep. Dianne Hart, a Tampa Democrat, said gun violence remains a problem in too many Florida schools.

“18-year-olds don’t need guns,” she said. “We don’t let them drink alcohol for a reason: because they’re not ready.”

This marks the first Legislative Session since the Parkland law passed that all House members who voted on that law when it passed have now been termed limited out of office.

Rep. Shane Abbott, a DeFuniak Springs Republican, said if the nation enlists 18-year-olds to fight in the military, citizens that age should be allowed to purchase firearms of their own as well.

Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, a Montverde Republican, said many 18-year-olds are already better trained with firearms than many older residents. He said his own daughter started taking gun safety classes at age 10.

“She’s extremely proficient, and she’s going to college next year at FAU down in Boca, and she’s like, ‘Dad, you’re telling me, I can’t have my rifle? I can’t bring this?’” Yarkosky said. “And I said, ‘No, you can’t under the current law.’ And she is more well trained at this than a lot of people.”

A companion bill (SB 920) has been filed in the Senate by Sen. Jay Collins, a Tampa Republican, but it has not been placed on a committee agenda to date. It was directed to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.