TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Florida House of Representatives subcommittee is looking at a new proposal that would lower the minimum age to buy rifles in Florida.<\/p>\n
The House Majority Leader proposed the bill that would take the minimum age to buy rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18.<\/p>\n
A similar bill passed in the House earlier this year<\/a> but stalled in the Senate.<\/p>\n The legislature and then-governor Rick Scott increased the minimum age for long gun purchases to 21 after the 2018 Parkland school shooting killed 17 people.<\/p>\n Critics of the bill say lowering the age to buy a gun puts more families at risk. <\/p>\n Chris Hixon was a victim of the Parkland shooting. His son spoke out against the bill earlier this year. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are measures, when made into a comprehensive system, to prevent gun violence can prevent another family from going through the same grief we still feel to this day. Removing a piece of that system puts the entire system in jeopardy,\u201d Hixon said.<\/p>\n The bill has moved to the House Judiciary Committee. <\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n