The tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, back in 2018 left behind an unbearable loss—seventeen innocent lives taken by a deranged murderer. But instead of addressing the real failures that led to the shooting, politicians did what they do best: rushed to pass a bloated, feel-good law that punished law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to prevent the next attack. The result? Senate Bill 7026—signed into law by then-Governor Rick Scott—an anti-Second Amendment disaster that Florida gun owners have been saddled with ever since.
SB 7026 raised the minimum age to purchase firearms from 18 to 21, banned bump stocks, and enacted one of the most dangerous violations of due process in modern American history: red-flag laws. These laws give law enforcement sweeping authority to seize a person’s firearms based on mere accusations—no conviction necessary. And now, thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida is finally in a position to undo some of this unconstitutional nonsense.
DeSantis: Florida Must Lead on the Second Amendment
Governor DeSantis, in his March 4 State of the State address, made it clear: Florida has fallen behind when it comes to protecting gun rights, and he’s ready to fix it.
“The free state of Florida has not exactly led the way on protecting Second Amendment rights… We need to be a strong Second Amendment state.”
Unlike the spineless politicians who caved to emotional hysteria after Parkland, DeSantis actually understands the Constitution. In 2023, he signed permitless concealed carry into law, and now, he’s setting his sights on repealing the worst elements of SB 7026—starting with the arbitrary gun purchase age and the red-flag laws.
And let’s talk about that age restriction for a moment. An 18-year-old can serve in the military, carry a rifle in combat, and even die for his country—but in Florida, thanks to SB 7026, that same young adult can’t legally purchase a hunting rifle when he comes home? DeSantis knows that’s absurd.
Of course, there’s already an exception for military members, law enforcement, and corrections officers to buy long guns at 18. But that just highlights the hypocrisy—since when do rights apply only to certain classes of people? The Second Amendment isn’t a privilege for government employees; it’s a right for every American.
The Anti-Gun Left Throws a Fit—Because Of Course They Do
Predictably, Florida’s anti-gun Democrats are melting down over DeSantis’ plan to restore basic constitutional freedoms. Leading the pack is House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, who—without any actual evidence—claims that reversing SB 7026 will somehow make Florida “less safe.”
“It seems to me that we’re breaking our promise to the parents and the students of Parkland… [The changes] would be awful for our law enforcement. We absolutely want to keep them safe as they do their job. I was very troubled by his comments.”
Oh, spare us the crocodile tears. If Democrats actually cared about public safety, they’d be going after criminals—not stripping rights from law-abiding citizens. But that would require common sense, and we all know how allergic they are to that.
And since Driskell wants to talk about “promises,” how about we discuss the one she and every other elected official took to uphold the Constitution? The Bill of Rights isn’t a suggestion. It’s a guarantee. So if she’s so “troubled” by DeSantis defending it, maybe she’s in the wrong line of work.
The Road Ahead: Can Florida Set an Example for the Nation?
DeSantis’ push to repeal parts of SB 7026 is a major step in the right direction, but there’s still work to be done. The Biden administration and its anti-gun cronies are actively trying to erode gun rights on a national scale, and Florida needs to set the example for how a pro-Second Amendment state fights back.
There’s also the matter of who will be responsible for shaping Florida’s future gun laws. That task could soon fall into the hands of Pam Bondi—who, let’s not forget, was Florida’s Attorney General when SB 7026 was enacted. Now, she’s expected to oversee the Attorney General’s Second Amendment review and recommend a course of action. That’s a little concerning, to say the least. Will she stand with DeSantis and undo the damage, or will she hedge her bets?
Either way, one thing is clear: Floridians need to stay engaged. The fight for the Second Amendment never stops, and if we don’t keep pushing back, the anti-gun crowd will keep chipping away at our rights—one bad law at a time.
DeSantis is taking a stand, and if Florida Republicans follow his lead, the state has a chance to undo some of the worst anti-gun legislation passed in recent history. The only question now is: will they get it done?
