Raise the legal age to buy all guns to 21 years old
Q: The NRA is suing the state of Florida to block a new law that the governor just signed there, Rick Scott, that would raise the legal age to buy all guns to 21 years old,
the NRA saying that it violates the constitutional rights of 18-to-21-year-old people. What do you make of that? Do you feel like that this law violates the Second Amendment?
How far should the law go in that regard?
Sen. Ron JOHNSON (R-WI): I would not support the law. We send our sons and daughters over to Afghanistan, in Iraq.
They defend our freedoms. If they do that, they ought to be able to buy a hunting rifle.
Don't ban AR-15s; fully automatic weapons already illegal
Q: The NRA is suing the state of Florida to block a new law that would raise the legal age to buy all guns to 21 years old, the NRA saying that it violates the constitutional rights of 18-to-21-year-old people. Do you feel like that this law violates
the Second Amendment?
Sen. Ron JOHNSON (R-WI): I would not support the law. You know, we send our sons and daughters over to Afghanistan, in Iraq. They defend our freedoms. If they do that, they ought to be able to buy a hunting rifle.
Q:
What about an AR-15? 18-year-olds with AR-15s, that's OK?
JOHNSON: We ought to really detail what the operational characteristics are of weapons, rather than just a scary name or a gun that looks a little bit scarier. There are plenty of hunting
weapons that basically have the same operational characteristics. And it's already illegal to have a fully automatic weapon. It's illegal to convert a legal weapon into an automatic weapon.
21-year-old age requirement & 3-day wait on gun purchases
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill imposing a 21-year-old legal age requirement and three-day waiting period on all gun purchases and allowing the arming of some school employees.
Within hours, the NRA filed a court challenge to
provisions raising the legal age for buying a rifle or shotgun, asserting that the higher requirement violates the US Constitution.
Final passage of the bill by state lawmakers came three weeks after a gunman opened fire with a semiautomatic
assault-style rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public in Parkland, Florida, killing 17. Swift action in the Republican-controlled statehouse was propelled in large part by an extraordinary counter-lobbying campaign waged by young survivors
from the massacre and parents of the victims.
"Today should serve as an example to the entire country that government can and must move fast," Scott said in remarks before the signing, surrounded by survivors of the shooting and their families.
Enacted new gun control after high school shooting
Legislative Summary: SB7026: The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act: To comprehensively address the crisis of gun violence, including gun violence on school campuses. SB7026 temporarily restricts firearm possession by a
person undergoing a mental health crisis and when there is a threat of violence.
NRA-ILA opposition: The Florida Senate will take up SB-7026, a bill that punishes gun owners, which includes:
Makes it a felony for any person under
21 to purchase any firearm either privately or from a dealer.
Minimum 3-Day Waiting Period on ALL FIREARMS.
Every year it confiscates 10% of the license fees paid by CW license holders to pay for the care of victims of mass shootings.
Bans the
sale and transfer of Bump Stocks.
Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 20-18-0 on Mar/5/18; Passed House 67-50-3 on Mar/7/18; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/9/18
Scott opposes the CC survey question on right to bear arms
The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.
The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Further restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms"
Source: Christian Coalition Survey 10-CC-q10 on Aug 11, 2010