The House gave a second reading to a bill (HB 1223) that would reverse gun control rules enacted after the Parkland shooting by lowering the minimum age to buy a gun from 21 to 18. But the Senate has already made clear these changes are dead on arrival.
Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani, who lives in Orlando — which had its own mass shooting in 2016 at the Pulse nightclub — lamented the fact that the House is continuing to push to undo parts of the bipartisan law passed after Parkland.
"I was very proud of this Legislature for coming together and supporting these measures, many of which, on both sides of the aisle, took political risk to do so," Eskamani said. "I just can't fathom the idea of regressing on this issue."
But bill sponsor Rep. Bobby Payne, a Palatka Republican, argued that banning 18-year-olds from buying shotguns and rifles was unconstitutional since those teenagers can be charged as adults with felonies, sign contracts or join the military. They should be allowed to purchase guns too, he said.
"I'm doing this for the protection of those who are 18 to 21 years old, and those in rural areas like my area that like to use rifles and long guns," Payne said. "The majority of people that purchase long guns are law-abiding citizens."
Democrats voiced opposition to changing the law that had been enacted after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Valentine's Day in 2018, where a 19-year-old shot and killed 17 people with a AR-15 semiautomatic weapon.
"Is there any concern about public safety?" Eskamani asked. "What's the justification when it comes to the safety and prevention of mass shootings in our schools?"
Payne defended his bill, saying other safeguards were in place to protect students with the Marjory Stoneman School Safety Act.
Eskamani also pushed Payne on whether it was wise to allow 18-year-olds access to guns, especially during a youth mental health crisis.
"Is this the right time to bring that age back to 18?" Eskamani asked.
"I could balance that question by saying, we're seeing more acts of violence. We're seeing people come across our border that we don't have protections for," Payne responded. "I'm doing this for the protection of those who are 18 to 21 years old, and those in rural areas like my area that like to use rifles and long guns. That's what this bill is about — for sporting."
No comments:
Post a Comment