Overview

• The National Rifle Association has filed a petition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review Florida's 2018 law raising the minimum age for purchasing rifles and long guns to 21.
• The law, enacted after the 2018 Parkland school shooting, was upheld in March 2025 by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as consistent with historical firearm regulations.
• The NRA argues the law unlawfully infringes on the Second Amendment rights of 18-to-20-year-olds, who are considered legal adults in most other respects.
• A January 2025 ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found a federal handgun sales ban for the same age group unconstitutional, creating a split with the 11th Circuit ruling.
• The Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will hear the case, which could clarify constitutional protections for young adults and resolve the appellate court divide.