In America, the Second Amendment is quite the hot topic. Some states are working to cut back on gun rights and make firearm possession more difficult. However, other states are passing constitutional carry laws and working to defend the right to bear arms.
One of the latter states just so happens to be Florida. As a matter of fact, Florida became the 26th state to implement constitutional carry. Though Republicans in the Sunshine State aren’t stopping there.
In fact, there are ongoing efforts in the Florida state legislature to reduce the mandatory age for residents to buy long guns, as documented by the Tampa Free Press.
Cementing the Right to Bear Arms
Towards the end of last week, the Florida House of Representatives successfully approved a bill that would grant 18, 19, and 20 year olds the right to purchase rifles, along with other long firearms. Right now, the minimum age for such purchases rests at 21.
BREAKING: Florida House passes bill to lower age to purchase long guns to 18, was previously 21
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) April 28, 2023
Republicans in the House of Representatives believe adjusting the age to buy long guns is a necessary means of reversing some gun control measures passed in 2018.
Likewise, supporters of reducing this age limit maintain that barring 18, 19, and 20 year olds from purchasing rifles and other similar long firearms breaches their constitutional liberties.
Opposition from Florida Democrats
As one might imagine, Democrats in the Florida state legislature aren’t pleased with their GOP counterparts working to expand Second Amendment rights.
The difference is the % of suicides, it has nothing to do with the availability of firearms at all. 65% of the firearm deaths in Florida are suicide, as opposed to 35% nation wide. How come liberals won't do firearm death without suicides?https://t.co/fwzw7vgyMZ pic.twitter.com/bPf2yOKIQ2
— Whig Party (@FloridaWhigs) April 24, 2023
Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, for instance, believes the current age minimum of 21 for long gun purchases needs to stay intact. Hunschofsky and other Democrats likewise insist that allowing younger people to purchase these firearms constitutes “the wrong path.”
However, despite this backlash from the left, Republicans have supermajorities in both the Florida House and Senate. Therefore, GOP state lawmakers have the power to reduce the age limit without getting a single Democratic vote.
