STOP FLORIDA HB 133

Minimum Age for Firearm Purchase or Transfer Must Not Be Lowered to 18

Bill Introduced by Republican House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois [FL District-31]

HB 133 MUST BE STOPPED:

HB133 puts deadly weapons in the hands of teenagers, endangers our schools and communities, and puts gun industry profits over the protection of Florida’s children and families.

​​HISTORY:

On February 14, 2018, a 19-year-old shot and killed seventeen people and injured 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with a legally purchased AR-15 rifle. In response to young survivors and grieving parents pleading with lawmakers to protect other families from the same horrific heart-shattering nightmare, the Florida Legislature enacted the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. The law raised the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, a bipartisan measure aimed at addressing the crisis of gun violence, including on school campuses.

Republican Governor Rick Scott acted against mass shootings by supporting the age increase with a clear message: “We must take care of our kids.” Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi also supported the measure. Raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21 has maintained broad public support and has saved lives.

WHAT HB 133 DOES

• HB 133 would lower the age to buy firearms in Florida from 21 to 18—reversing the bipartisan Parkland law passed in 2018 after 17 students and educators were murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

• This would allow high schoolers and college students to legally purchase long rifles like the AR-15.

• This bill bails out the gun industry, which is facing slumping sales under President Trump.

• It would flood Florida with more guns in younger hands, making our communities less safe.

• Repealing the Parkland reform is not just cruel; it betrays the courage and sacrifice of those who survived and lost their lives that day.

WHY HB 133 MUST BE STOPPED:

Public Safety and Popular Support

• A recent poll shows 80% of Florida voters oppose lowering the firearm purchase age to 18.

• Allowing teenagers to buy firearms increases the risk of school shootings and other violent incidents.

• Supporting HB133 prioritizes the gun lobby and political extremists over the safety, well-being, and will of Floridians

Puts Florida Students and Communities at Risk

• Florida recently invalidated the open carry ban and passed a dangerous permitless carry law, allowing nearly anyone to carry weapons without an enhanced background check, training, or permit.

• HB133 would make it even easier for teenagers to arm themselves.

• No high school student should be able to walk into a store, buy a deadly weapon, and carry it openly without a permit.

• More untrained, inexperienced young people carrying guns means more shootings in schools, cars, malls, and homes.

The Age 21 Standard Saves Lives

• 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at over 3x the rate of adults 21 and older.

• They make up only 4% of the population but account for 17% of known gun homicide offenders.

• Brain development research shows that impulse control, judgment, and risk assessment continue to mature into the mid‑20s—making access to deadly weapons at 18 a proven risk.

• Federal law already recognizes this risk by setting 21 as the minimum age for handgun purchases.

Increased Risk for Children and Teens

• HB 133 would combine permitless carry with teenage gun access—a deadly mix that will make Florida’s schools, streets, and public spaces more dangerous.

• Guns are the second leading cause of death among Florida’s children and teens, taking an average of 229 young lives annually.

• In Florida, 3,108 people are killed and 6,358 are wounded by guns each year, ranking the state 33rd in the nation for gun deaths.

• Gun violence costs Florida $40.3 billion each year, including $875.9 million paid by taxpayers.

Florida’s Tradition of Responsible Firearm Regulation

• Florida’s restriction on the sale of firearms to 18- to 20-year-olds follows a long-standing American tradition of firearm regulation.

• Throughout history, laws have restricted firearm access to protect public safety and Florida acted in line with that tradition after the Parkland shooting by raising the minimum age to 21.

Protecting Children Over Profits

• This bill is not about freedom—it's about profits that will come at the cost of young lives and public safety.

• Gun manufacturers and the gun lobby have seen declining profits and sales under President Trump.

• HB 133 is a gift to the gun industry, which is desperate to expand its market to teenagers after saturating the adult market.

FLORIDA COALITION TO STOP ARMING 18-20-YEAR OLDS 

BAWN FL, Brady Sarasota, Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, Faith in Florida, FL League of Women Voters, Florida Youth Action Fund, Giffords, March For Our Lives, Newtown Action Alliance, See Alliance, Stop Moms 4 Liberty, & Team ENOUGH