Appeals Court Confirms Florida’s Prohibition on Gun Purchases for Young Adults

March 15, 2025 TruthUSA

The state’s attorney general has stated he will not defend the law if a ruling is appealed to the Supreme Court.

On March 14, a federal appeals court affirmed Florida’s law prohibiting individuals under 21 from purchasing long guns.

The attorney general of Florida has expressed his disagreement with the ruling by announcing that his office will not defend the law should it be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled on March 14 that the law is consistent with the nation’s historical firearm regulations and does not violate the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. This decision is in line with precedents established by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen (2022) and Rahimi (2024) rulings, which necessitate that contemporary gun laws correspond with historical firearm restrictions.

In 2018, Florida enacted the under-21 firearm purchase prohibition following the tragic Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, where a 19-year-old gunman killed 17 people. This legislation raised the minimum age to purchase any firearm in Florida to 21, expanding an existing federal limitation on handguns.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) and an individual plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, claiming the law violates the constitutional right to bear arms. A lower court upheld the ban, and the case was escalated to the 11th Circuit, which ultimately confirmed the ruling.

The 11th Circuit concluded that historical context supports age-based restrictions on firearm sales, especially for those under 21. The majority opinion highlighted that individuals classified as minors during the Founding era were deemed legally incapable of fully exercising rights, including the independent purchase of firearms.

“The founders believed that minors did not possess the reason and judgment needed to be entrusted with legal rights,” the court stated, noting that during the founding period, individuals were considered minors until they were 21.

The judges in the majority also dismissed claims that young adults who served in the militia had a right to purchase firearms, stating: “The fact that some states mandated militia service for minors does not establish an inherent right to unrestricted access to firearms.”

Several dissenting judges opposed the majority view, arguing that there were no prohibitions from the Founding era concerning young adults purchasing firearms and criticizing the majority for inserting an age limit into the Second Amendment.

The NRA did not respond immediately to requests for comments regarding the ruling and has yet to reveal whether it plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Following the ruling, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced his stance on a potential Supreme Court appeal.

“Upon taking office, I instructed my staff to examine the state’s underlying law and its alignment with the Second Amendment. Despite CA11’s opinion today, I believe that limiting the rights of law-abiding adults to purchase firearms is unconstitutional,” he shared in a post on X.

Uthmeier also referenced recent Fifth Circuit decisions that overturned similar restrictions.

“Should the NRA choose to seek further review at [the U.S. Supreme Court], I am directing my office to not defend this law. Individuals who are old enough to serve and sacrifice for our country should also be able to purchase firearms for their own protection and that of their families.”

In spite of the 11th Circuit ruling, Florida lawmakers are advancing efforts to repeal the under-21 purchase prohibition. A proposed bill to return the age to 18 is gaining traction in the Florida House, with Republican legislators contending that the restriction violates constitutional rights.

“The right to purchase and use a firearm is your constitutional right, and restoring those rights is essential for Floridians,” state Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Republican who co-sponsored the bill this year, stated in a statement. “We must cease infringing upon the constitutional rights of law-abiding adults who are old enough to enlist in the military and make other significant life decisions.”

Governor Ron DeSantis has also shown support for overturning the ban. In a recent State of the State address, he called for lawmakers to reassess key aspects of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, specifically aiming for the repeal of the provision that set the legal age for purchasing long guns at 21.

“We need to establish ourselves as a strong Second Amendment state. I know many of you share this view, so let’s enact positive changes for the people of Florida,” he stated.

Opposition to the repeal efforts has emerged from gun control advocates and Democrats.

“This matter is personal,” Florida State Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, a Democrat who was the mayor of Parkland during the mass shooting, remarked to Florida Phoenix. “It deeply pains me to hear some of the disingenuous arguments made against this law.”

Currently, Florida ranks as one of just eight states that restrict individuals under 21 from buying long guns, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. Advocates for gun control argue that maintaining the law is crucial for reducing the number of lives lost in gun-related crimes.

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