The Florida House is again moving to pass a controversial bill that would lower the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18, though the Senate has not given any public sign that it is on board. The House passed bills in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to lower the minimum age to 18, but the Senate did not go along.
A Senate bill on the issue has not been filed for the 2026 session, which will start Jan. 13. Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, hasn't publicly taken a stance on the issue. But such a bill would have to go through the Rules Committee, where Chairwoman Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, has said she isn't going to repeal the 2018 legislation.
The National Rifle Association has challenged the constitutionality of the higher gun-purchasing age. The group lost in federal district and appellate courts and has an appeal pending at the U.S. Supreme Court . Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, told lawmakers Tuesday that each time the bill is introduced it "reopens wounds" for Parkland survivors.
"Every year, that wound is healing and you rip it off. And I don't really understand why when you know there's not a Senate companion (bill)," said Bartleman, who was on the Broward County School Board in 2018. You might also find this interesting: Visit website
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