The massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School remains one of the nation’s deadliest school shootings. 

The incident on Feb. 14, 2018, prompted a bipartisan response in Florida to raise the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns in Florida from 21 to 18. In the years since, Florida lawmakers have attempted to reverse that legislation.

What we know:

Florida House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, has filed legislation that would lower the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18. 

The proposal, House Bill 133, will be considered during the 2026 legislative session beginning in January. Similar bills have passed the Florida House in recent years but failed to advance in the Senate.

The backstory:

The current minimum age law was enacted in 2018, following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where 17 people were killed. 

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Then-Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-controlled Legislature raised the minimum age for long-gun purchases as part of a sweeping school safety package. 

The National Rifle Association responded by filing a lawsuit, arguing the law violated the Second Amendment rights of young adults between 18 and 20.

What we don’t know:

It remains unclear whether this latest effort will succeed in the Florida Senate. The pending U.S. Supreme Court case on the NRA’s challenge could also impact the future of the law.

Timeline:

The Parkland shooting occurred in February 2018, leading to swift legislative action that spring. The NRA filed its lawsuit soon after, with lower courts upholding the age restriction. 

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The organization appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, and the case remains pending as Florida lawmakers prepare for the 2026 session.