It’s always more than a little funny to see people claim that the Second Amendment isn’t treated like a second-class right, even as they support a ban on long gun sales for adults under 21, among other measures.
We don’t restrict other rights quite the same way. It’s one thing to have a parent come down on what their minor offspring says, or to tell them what faith they must follow while living in their home, but it’s something else when an adult under the age of 21 is restricted from exercising their constitutionally protected right.
It’s another when the “it’s not treated like a second-class right” support this kind of nonsense.
One of the states with such measures on the books is Florida. They passed it in the wake of Parkland in what was probably the biggest mistake they could have.
There have been pushes to repeal the law, and they haven’t really gone anywhere. Now, lawmakers are trying again.
In late August, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case challenging the state’s ban on firearms purchases by adults under 21. In the case of NRA v. Glass, however, AG Uthmeier is on the side of young adults, and his petition asked the court to strike down the law.
Now, legislation to repeal the law, which was passed in 2018 after the mass murder at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which killed 17 people, is back on the table. On October 8, state Rep. Tyler Sirois, a Republican from Brevard County, filed House Bill 133, designed to end the restriction once and for all.
Rep. Sirois’s bill simply strikes the number “21” from the statute’s language and replaces it with “18,” the age at which Americans are considered adults for all purposes except, apparently, the right to keep and bear arms.
“A person younger than 18 years of age may not purchase a firearm,” the new language states. “The sale or transfer of a firearm to a person younger than 18 years of age may not be made or facilitated by a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer. A person who violates this subsection commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 20 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.”
This looks incredibly straightforward and, in a just world, would pass easily. Florida has a Republican supermajority in the legislature, and Gov. Ron DeSantis is a supporter of measures like this, so it should be a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, there are some entrenched Republicans who like to pretend they’re pro-gun, but who have refused to actually allow previous years’ bills to pass. I’ve literally heard one state Republican describe Florida as the freest state in the nation, but with a law like this on the books, count me as more than a little dubious of that claim, especially as enough key GOP legislators keep blocking pro-gun measures like repealing the age limit.
The truth of the matter is that while I don’t believe such measures are constitutional, it’s always preferable to see lawmakers recognize the error of their ways and fix their mistakes.
Instead, some keep doubling down and blocking efforts to right the ship.
This is a great chance for them to knock that off and move forward in a productive way. If not, well, there are always primary opponents who would be happy to do the right thing.
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