TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Republicans are trying to reverse a state law that restricts long gun purchases to adults 21 and older.

Florida lawmakers raised the minimum buying age from 18 to 21 after the 2018 Parkland Massacre at Majorie Stoneman Douglas High School.

The 19-year-old gunman killed 14 in the siege and injured 17 more, prompting thousands to protest at the Florida Capitol.

The proposal to reduce the purchasing age back to 18 (House Bill 759) is among the more contentious bills of the 2025 legislative session.

“You all put this in place because of what happened at that school,” said Tampa Democratic State Rep. Dianne Hart. “This is a slap in the face of all those families and all the people around this state.”

A long gun is a broad term describing weapons like a rifle, carbine or shotgun. Florida is among eight states that limit their purchase to people 21 years old and above.

“I want my daughter to be armed when she's under the age of 21 and she's living outside of my house, and she's able to protect herself because right now, this disarms women, disarms our college students, disarms our children,” Gun Owners For America Florida Director Luis Valdes said of the current law.

Cantonment Republican State Rep. Michelle Salzman is the bill sponsor. She’s leading what is now at least the third attempt to repeal the law.

“We're focused on making sure nobody gets a gun, then we're focused on everybody getting a gun,” said Boca Raton Democratic State Rep. Kelly Skidmore of the effort. “It doesn't make sense to me. I'd love to understand it better. I just don't get it.”

The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee advanced the proposal Wednesday along a party-line vote.

The bill now awaits a second and third committee appearance.