On Tuesday, December 2, the Florida House Judiciary Committee approved legislation restoring the Constitutional rights of 18 to 20 year olds to purchase rifles and shotguns. The bill, House Bill 133 (HB 133) was favorably approved by a vote of 13 to 7.
Key Change: Restoring Rights to Law-Abiding Young Adults
In 2018, the state banned 18 to 20 year olds from purchasing shotguns and rifles and placed a hefty penalty of up to five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. HB 133 lowers the minimum age to purchase a shotgun or rifle from 21 to 18 years of age, returning the ability to hunt, shoot recreationally, or defend themselves to young law-abiding adults.
Legislative Status Update
The committee approved the measure on the first day of interim committee week. To ensure as many bills can be heard during a 60-day legislative session, Florida schedules interim committee weeks before the regular session to hold budget and policy workshops, take testimony, and begin moving priority bills. The 2026 legislative session officially begins January 13.
“We are happy to see that returning a young adult’s right to purchase a long gun is a priority of the legislature,” said Naomi Farmer, Director of Legislative Services for the Sportsmen’s Alliance.
Keep an eye on your inbox for updates on HB 133 as it continues through the legislative process.
Don’t forget to share this alert with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen and gun owners. Urge them to join you and the Sportsmen’s Alliance in standing up to fight, protect, and defend against the rising tide of animal and gun-control extremism. The extremists work tirelessly to erode our rights, values, and heritage, and we must work harder to ensure they are secure today, tomorrow, and for the future.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
