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Florida Lawmakers, Led by Rep. Michelle Salzman, Push to Lower Gun-Buying Age to 18, Backed by House Speaker Daniel Perez and Gov. Ron DeSantis

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Updated Mar 13, 2025, 05:41 PM

Florida lawmakers are advancing a series of bills aimed at lowering the gun-buying age from 21 to 18, reversing a key provision of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. The legislation, which has passed its first committee in the House, is sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, who argues that it will ensure all adult citizens in Florida are afforded their full Second Amendment rights. The bill specifically targets the age restriction that was put in place after the Parkland shooting, carried out by Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 years old at the time. The move to lower the gun-buying age has been met with opposition from gun control advocates and some Democrats, who see it as a step backward from the safety measures implemented after the Parkland shooting. Rep. Robin Bartleman, a Democrat from Weston, criticized the bill as a 'slap in the face' to the families affected by the tragedy, noting that 18 to 20-year-olds are the age group most likely to commit gun homicides. The effort to change the law comes amidst a broader push by Florida's Republican leadership to expand gun rights. House Speaker Daniel Perez and Governor Ron DeSantis support the measure, with DeSantis arguing that if 18-year-olds can serve in the military, they should be able to purchase firearms. The bill faces a more challenging path in the Senate, where new President Ben Albritton has expressed reservations about rolling back gun restrictions but is considering the proposal to lower the gun-buying age.

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#Florida #House #Michelle Salzman #Second Amendment #Parkland shooting #Nikolas Cruz #Democrats #Robin Bartleman #Democrat #Weston #Republican #Daniel Perez #Ron DeSantis #DeSantis #Senate #Ben Albritton

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Sources

floridapolitics.com(16)sun-sentinel.com(3)floridianpress.com(3)nbcmiami.com(2)

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