Passidomo doubts bill lowering age for long gun purchases

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, told reporters Wednesday she does not support a bill to lower the minimum age for someone to purchase a long gun. 

The bill, filed by Rep. Bobby Payne, R-Palatka, would lower the minimum age requirement to purchase a firearm from 21 to 18, which applies to purchases from either a Federal Firearms License or a private seller.

A House committee passed the bill Monday.

The bill analysis said it would affect long guns in many cases, since federal law prohibits the sale of a handgun by a Federal Firearms License to a person under 21 years of age.

A reporter asked Passidomo Wednesday if she supports the bill and she said “no.”

Passidomo told reporters that the bill has not been filed in the Senate and “nobody’s mentioned it” to her.

“We don’t have it in the Senate. I mean, nobody filed it, so there’s no bill to support,” Passidomo said.

When asked what would happen in the Senate if the House permitless carry bill is amended to include the age change, Passidomo said she did not think it would happen.

In 2018, Sen. Rick Scott, R-FL, who, at the time was Florida’s governor, signed a bill that raised the minimum age to buy rifles from 18 to 21, in response to the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

A reporter asked Passidomo if the 2018 school shooting influences her thinking on permitless carry legislation.

Passidomo said when it comes to the permitless carry bill, “the language in there about school safety” was “very important” to her to “get that in there.” She said she “cares very deeply” about identifying and intervening with kids’ mental health issues.

“​​We need to get these kids identified and get help for them, so that they don’t commit these acts [….]  And had there been an intervention early on, may not necessarily have gone that way. And that’s my thrust, that’s what I care very deeply about in this whole issue,” Passidomo said.

House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, praised the House committee for “restoring the ability of young adults to exercise their Second Amendment rights.”

“Florida allows 18-20-year-old adults to obtain a long gun by having it gifted to them,” Renner said.

“This bill expands Second Amendment rights and improves public safety, because it requires young adults who have the intent of purchasing a long gun to go through the background check process that is consistent with Florida law.”

Payne said young adults have been “restricted” from obtaining a long gun due to the age limit.

“HB 1543 fixes that, reclaiming law-abiding Floridians’ constitutional liberty. I appreciate the support from Speaker Renner and from my colleagues who voted favorably today in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee,” Payne said.

Under Florida law, it is a third degree felony for a person younger than 21 to purchase a firearm and for a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer to facilitate any sale or transfer of a firearm to a person younger than 21 years of age.

The bill does not remove or reduce any of the criteria purchasers must meet to satisfy the background check required to purchase a firearm from a Federal Firearms License.