In 2018, after 17 lives were lost in the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida took a stand. Lawmakers, including then-Gov. Rick Scott, passed a bipartisan law raising the minimum age to purchase rifles and long guns from 18 to 21. This was not a partisan decision — it was a direct response to a horrifying act of violence committed by a 19-year-old armed with a legally purchased AR-15.

Now, that hard-fought safeguard is under threat. House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois has filed HB 133, a bill that would roll back this life-saving law and allow 18-year-olds to once again buy rifles and long guns in Florida.

We cannot go backward. We cannot ignore the lessons of Parkland, where students and teachers were gunned down in a matter of minutes. We must remember the courageous survivors who turned their grief into a movement for change — and honor them by protecting the very law their tragedy helped to pass.

Supporters of HB 133 claim this rollback is about constitutional rights, but the courts — including federal district and appeals courts — have upheld the current law. While the NRA pushes its lawsuit to the Supreme Court, Florida’s lawmakers should focus on keeping communities safe, not scoring political points.

Allowing 18-year-olds to purchase military-style weapons increases the risk of deadly violence, including school shootings and suicides. Young people already have access to firearms through family transfers. This bill doesn’t expand rights — it weakens protections.

We urge Florida’s legislators — especially the Senate, which has rightly rejected similar proposals in the past — to stand firm and reject HB 133. Keep the minimum age to buy rifles and long guns at 21. Our children’s lives depend on it.

Sign this petition to tell the Florida Legislature: Don’t undo the progress we’ve made. Reject HB 133 and keep Florida safe.