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Lawmakers, gun safety advocates and gun rights supporters are debating a bill sponsored by a Central Florida state representative that would lower the age requirement for purchasing long guns, such as rifles and shotguns.The debate comes as Florida recognizes Wednesday as one of the most shocking mass shootings in our nation’s history at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.Valentine’s Day 2018 proved just how vulnerable schools can be: one gunman, one rifle, 17 dead, 17 wounded.Nikolas Cruz was 19 at the time, and under Florida’s previous law, he was allowed to lawfully purchase the semi-automatic weapon because he was at least 18 years old.In the wake of the shooting, then-Gov. Rick Scott, members of the House and Senate and law enforcement teamed up to enact reforms to protect students, faculty and staff at campuses across the Sunshine State.Among the measures passed to improve safety, lawmakers approved hundreds of millions of dollars to harden campuses with new fencing and gates.More money has been doled out to schools willing to arm and train employees to help police guard campuses.“Our schools are safer because of that bill (the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act),” said Republican former State Senator Carey Baker, who owns A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mt. Dora. But Baker also says he supports repealing a provision of the act that raised the age to purchase a long gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer from 18 to 21.“The number of young adults that are buying guns, weekly buying guns from a gun dealer and committing crimes is almost non-existent. So it’s a provision that does nothing,” Baker said. The proposed bill, HB 1223, would lower the purchase age for rifles and shotguns to 18, for sales by either a licensed dealer or private party.The minimum age for handgun purchases would remain 21, which is federal law.Gun owners WESH talked with support rolling back the age.“There’re always going to be crazy people, but I don’t think they should make rules and laws that affect law-abiding citizens,” resident Mark Schmude said. But gun safety advocates believe every provision of the safety act is vital.Just ask the family of Chris Hixon, the athletic director who sacrificed his life to save others at the Parkland High School.They and other critics of the bill say it takes campus safety a step backward, with Debra Hixon adding, “There are bad things going on at the state level that we would love to see go in a different direction.”“Republicans have made it clear that we cannot trust them to put the safety of our families and our communities in their hands,” Florida Democratic Party Chair. Nikki Fried said. Right now, Florida is one of eight states that restrict rifle and shotgun purchases to those 21 and older. HB 1223 is sponsored by Republican Palatka State Rep. Bobby Payne, whose Tallahassee office did not return a call for comment.It is co-sponsored by local Republicans Rachel Plakon of Longwood, Randy Fine of Palm Bay, and Tom Leek of Daytona Beach. Because there is no Senate sponsor of a companion bill, the future of the measure to change the required minimum purchase age for long guns remains unclear with the regular legislative session set to end on March 8.WESH 2 News reached out to the Washington D.C. office of Scott — now Florida’s junior U.S. senator — requesting comment on potential changes to the law he signed. His staff provided this statement from Scott’s communications director McKinley Lewis:“What then-Governor Scott did after Parkland was bring people together and make changes to create safer schools. That was the entire objective. Senator Scott is a gun owner and an NRA member, and he believes in the Second Amendment and the rights of law-abiding citizens. He has been clear that he supports the bill he signed in 2018, but if the legislature wants to change it, they are entitled to debate it,” Lewis said in a statement. Top headlines:Terrifying dashcam video shows moments before jet crashed into Florida interstate, killing 2Missing 5-year-old Florida boy found dead; Deputies used sonar to locate body underwaterDeputies: Drunk Central Florida mom arrested after crashing into woods with children in car
Lawmakers, gun safety advocates and gun rights supporters are debating a bill sponsored by a Central Florida state representative that would lower the age requirement for purchasing long guns, such as rifles and shotguns.
The debate comes as Florida recognizes Wednesday as one of the most shocking mass shootings in our nation’s history at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Valentine’s Day 2018 proved just how vulnerable schools can be: one gunman, one rifle, 17 dead, 17 wounded.
Nikolas Cruz was 19 at the time, and under Florida’s previous law, he was allowed to lawfully purchase the semi-automatic weapon because he was at least 18 years old.
In the wake of the shooting, then-Gov. Rick Scott, members of the House and Senate and law enforcement teamed up to enact reforms to protect students, faculty and staff at campuses across the Sunshine State.
Among the measures passed to improve safety, lawmakers approved hundreds of millions of dollars to harden campuses with new fencing and gates.
More money has been doled out to schools willing to arm and train employees to help police guard campuses.
“Our schools are safer because of that bill (the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act),” said Republican former State Senator Carey Baker, who owns A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mt. Dora.
But Baker also says he supports repealing a provision of the act that raised the age to purchase a long gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer from 18 to 21.
“The number of young adults that are buying guns, weekly buying guns from a gun dealer and committing crimes is almost non-existent. So it’s a provision that does nothing,” Baker said.
The proposed bill, HB 1223, would lower the purchase age for rifles and shotguns to 18, for sales by either a licensed dealer or private party.
The minimum age for handgun purchases would remain 21, which is federal law.
Gun owners WESH talked with support rolling back the age.
“There’re always going to be crazy people, but I don’t think they should make rules and laws that affect law-abiding citizens,” resident Mark Schmude said.
But gun safety advocates believe every provision of the safety act is vital.
Just ask the family of Chris Hixon, the athletic director who sacrificed his life to save others at the Parkland High School.
They and other critics of the bill say it takes campus safety a step backward, with Debra Hixon adding, “There are bad things going on at the state level that we would love to see go in a different direction.”
“Republicans have made it clear that we cannot trust them to put the safety of our families and our communities in their hands,” Florida Democratic Party Chair. Nikki Fried said.
Right now, Florida is one of eight states that restrict rifle and shotgun purchases to those 21 and older.
HB 1223 is sponsored by Republican Palatka State Rep. Bobby Payne, whose Tallahassee office did not return a call for comment.
It is co-sponsored by local Republicans Rachel Plakon of Longwood, Randy Fine of Palm Bay, and Tom Leek of Daytona Beach.
Because there is no Senate sponsor of a companion bill, the future of the measure to change the required minimum purchase age for long guns remains unclear with the regular legislative session set to end on March 8.
WESH 2 News reached out to the Washington D.C. office of Scott — now Florida’s junior U.S. senator — requesting comment on potential changes to the law he signed.
His staff provided this statement from Scott’s communications director McKinley Lewis:
“What then-Governor Scott did after Parkland was bring people together and make changes to create safer schools. That was the entire objective. Senator Scott is a gun owner and an NRA member, and he believes in the Second Amendment and the rights of law-abiding citizens. He has been clear that he supports the bill he signed in 2018, but if the legislature wants to change it, they are entitled to debate it,” Lewis said in a statement.
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