Seven years after the Parkland shooting, the Florida Senate aims to pass House Bill 759, which would effectively repeal a law passed after the 2018 massacre that prevents people under age 21 from buying rifles and shotguns. The law, introduced by Republican Rep. Michelle Salzman, previously passed in the House on the basis that the 21-age limit is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
Senate Bill 7026, signed into law by former Florida Gov. Rick Scott in 2018, was also known as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. It was the first time in thirty years that Florida had passed any gun restrictions. It also allotted additional funds for school safety.
Not only would HB 759 lower the age to purchase guns in Florida to allow 18-20-year-olds to purchase semi-automatic rifles, but it would also allow 18-20-year-olds to purchase handguns from unlicensed sellers with no background checks. Even though people aged 18-20 are three times more likely to commit gun homicides than those 21 and older, Florida lawmakers consider the older law unnecessary.
However, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act still fell short of the expectations of many Parkland students and parents, as it did not ban assault and assault-style weapons, nor did it allow staff members to carry concealed weapons. MSD students expressed that these were only small steps toward resolving gun violence in schools.
“These are the baby steps we need,” former MSD student Delaney Tarra said. “We have a lot further to go, but progress is progress and that’s not to be denied.”
It comes as no surprise that HB 759 has been lobbied by both Gun Owners of America, Florida Carry and the National Rifle Association. The NRA previously challenged the original law in court but lost as the court upheld the 21-age standard as constitutional.
“I’m vindicating people’s constitutional Second Amendment rights,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “You have some 20-year-old marine …they come here, and they can’t purchase a rifle to go hunting or something, it’s not something that is consistent with due process.”
Shotguns are the guns most commonly used for hunting and are currently banned under SB 7026. This does not even impede the hunting abilities of those under 21 as receiving a gun as a gift is perfectly acceptable as long as the individual is at least 18 with parental permission. This directly disproves DeSantis’ claim about hunting rights.
What DeSantis fails to note is that handguns are also the weapon most commonly used for homicides and mass shootings. Additionally, only as few as 1% of Floridians own a hunting license, outlining how this is a non-issue for the majority of voters.
The introduction of this bill is a slap in the face to the students who protested for these protections after the deaths of their classmates. The lawmakers who support the repeal bring up nonsensical reasons, such as the current law preventing young single mothers from buying guns to protect themselves.
A study conducted from 2008-2019 found that 68% of pregnancy-related homicides involve firearms. More guns in a home does not keep its residents safer in any way. Suicide becomes even easier. There is evidence that owning a gun actually puts women at significantly greater risk of violent injury and death.
Undoubtedly, if the bill passes to the Senate and makes its way to the desk of DeSantis, it will be signed immediately. Previously, in 2023, the governor signed a bill into law allowing Floridians to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.
This raises the question of whether Florida’s representatives are actually working in the interest of the people they represent. The majority of Florida voters support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that fire more than 10 rounds. These include many rifles.
It is important to note that even within closely affected communities like Parkland, there has been little opposition to the law. No student action and no protests have occurred, directly contrasting the student action that pushed for gun laws in 2018.
In a country where the majority of Americans say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun, in a nation where school shootings are the highest in the world and in a state where an average of one person is killed every three hours due to guns, it is absolutely unreasonable for lawmakers to lessen gun regulations.
Yet, communities are doing nothing to preserve the few protections they have. Students and parents alike need to perform their civic duties, speak up and work towards a world in which less preventable tragedies occur.
