Florida Attorney General Urges Supreme Court To Strike Down Gun Purchase Age Law

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has taken the unusual step of urging the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a 2018 state law that prohibits individuals under 21 from purchasing rifles and other long guns, supporting an appeal filed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). The law, enacted after the 2018 Parkland school shooting, has been challenged by the NRA but upheld by lower federal courts. Uthmeier's brief argues the law infringes on Second Amendment rights of young adults aged 18 to 20, highlighting scenarios where denying gun purchases could jeopardize personal safety. Gun control advocacy groups like Brady oppose this move, asserting that age restrictions are historically consistent and supported by scientific understanding of brain development, and have been effective in reducing gun deaths among minors. The brief from Uthmeier's office also suggests the Supreme Court could appoint an outside party to defend the law, as his office will not do so. This case comes amid ongoing Supreme Court scrutiny of gun rights and regulations following the 2022 New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision, which requires gun laws to align with historical traditions.