Six States That Restrict Second Amendment Rights of 18-20-Year-Olds

With Washington state’s semiautomatic rifle purchase ban now in place at least six states restrict the Second Amendment rights of 18-20-year-olds.

Breitbart News reported that Washington’s ban took effect January 1, 2019, limiting semiautomatic rifle purchases to those 21 and older.

Florida prohibits selling commonly-owned semiautomatic rifles to persons 18-20-years-old as well.  The Sunshine State adopted this law in the wake of the February 14, 2018, Parkland school shooting, in which a 19-year-old year used a legally purchased rifle to open fire in a gun-free zone.

Then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed the prohibition against 18-20-year-olds on March 9, 2018, and later that same day the NRA filed suit claiming the gun control violated the constitutional rights of young adults.

Breitbart News reported that Vermont also restricted 18-20-year-olds’ exercise of Second Amendment rights following the February 14, 2018, Parkland attack. The Vermont prohibition not only bars 18-20-year-olds from buying commonly-owned semiautomatic firearms, but long guns in general.

California restricts the Second Amendment rights of 18-20 year olds by banning long gun sales of any kind for persons under the age of 21. The Associated Press reports that the California prohibition was spearheaded by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D) following the Parkland attack.

Maryland has a ban on commonly-owned semiautomatic firearms but maintains a grandfathering process through which pre-owned firearms in this category can be transferred to others. The Giffords Law Center reports that 18-20 years are barred from receiving such transfers.

Hawaii also restricts the Second Amendment rights of 18-20-year-olds by barring individuals under 21 from buying a long gun of any kind. KHON reports that a permit is required to buy a long gun–whether it is an AK-47, a bolt-action rifle, or a shotgun–and that permit is only available to those above the age of 21.

No word on whether Washington, Florida, Vermont, California, Maryland, and Hawaii plan to put restrictions and/or permit obligations on 18-20 year olds right to free speech, freedom of religion, security in their houses, persons, papers, and effects, etc.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.