Published on
A new proposal in the Florida House of Representatives seeks to roll back one of the most controversial gun control measures enacted after the 2018 Parkland school shooting. House Bill 133 (2026), sponsored by Rep. Tyler Sirois (R-Merritt Island), would lower the minimum age to purchase or transfer a firearm in Florida from 21 to 18.
If approved, the measure would amend Section 790.065 of the Florida Statutes, which currently bars licensed firearm dealers from selling guns to anyone under 21. That restriction was part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, passed in 2018 with bipartisan support following the mass shooting that claimed 17 lives in Parkland.
Under HB 133, Floridians aged 18 to 20 would again be legally allowed to purchase firearms, including handguns and long guns from licensed dealers. The proposal would also repeal the existing exception that currently allows law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and military servicemembers under 21 to buy guns.
The bill was filed on October 8, 2025, and has been referred to the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and Judiciary Committee, where it awaits its first hearing. If passed, the new law would take effect July 1, 2026.
As of this publication, no companion bill has been filed in the Florida Senate, which could affect how quickly the measure advances during the 2026 legislative session.
The bill targets one of the state’s most closely watched gun laws. The age restriction to 21 was adopted in 2018 in direct response to the Parkland tragedy, after it was revealed that the 19-year-old shooter legally purchased his firearm under then-existing state law.
In 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld Florida’s 21-year minimum purchase age, ruling that it did not violate the Second Amendment. However, gun rights advocates including the National Rifle Association (NRA) have continued to challenge the law and push for its repeal.
Rep. Sirois’s proposal mirrors national efforts by Republican lawmakers to expand gun rights for young adults. Supporters argue that if 18-year-olds are old enough to serve in the military, vote, and be tried as adults, they should also be trusted to purchase firearms. Opponents warn that lowering the age limit could lead to higher risks of gun violence, citing studies showing that 18- to 20-year-olds are disproportionately represented in firearm-related homicides and suicides.
HB 133 will first need to clear both House committees before advancing to the full chamber. Without a Senate companion, however, the measure could stall unless a senator agrees to sponsor a matching bill in the upper chamber.
If the legislation does gain traction, it would represent a major policy reversal for Florida — a state that once led the nation in passing bipartisan firearm safety measures after Parkland but has since moved steadily toward expanding gun rights.
loaddoc-1
