Home California Assemblyman Proposes Bill to Raise Purchase Age from 18 to 21 for Long Guns Similar to Assault Weapons

Assemblyman Proposes Bill to Raise Purchase Age from 18 to 21 for Long Guns Similar to Assault Weapons

by ECT

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D- Oakland) announced legislation earlier in March to raise the age to purchase long guns such as rifles and shotguns from 18 to 21.

“California already wisely mandates that someone be at least 21 years of age to purchase a handgun,” said Assemblymember Bonta. “It’s time to extend that common-sense law to long guns in order to enhance public safety.”

AB 3 would bring parity to California gun laws and recognize the fact that young adults ages 18 to 20 are statistically far more likely to commit homicides than older adults. Adults 18 to 20 represent 4 percent of the population but commit 17 percent of gun homicides according to the 2015 FBI Supplementary Homicides Reports.

“We must take every reasonable measure to protect Californians from gun violence,” said Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco), Joint Author of the bill.  “AB 3 will do just that by raising the minimum age to buy long guns from 18 to 21.”​

“Californians under age 21 can’t purchase alcohol, tobacco and other health hazardous items,” said Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Principal Co-Author of AB 3. ”So why should they be able to buy guns?  Our bill fixes that.”

Advocates working to stop gun violence view AB 3 as a prudent and effective step to protect the public.

“Modern rifles pose a greater threat than handguns and a similar age restriction should apply,” said Amanda Wilcox, Legislation and Policy Chair for the California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and sponsor of AB 3. “Existing laws and policies already recognize that those under age 21 are more at risk of dangerous or irresponsible behavior and consequently they cannot buy alcohol or rent a car.  Raising the minimum age to purchase a long gun is a reasonable step to improve public safety.”

“The perpetrators of the two worst school shootings in American history– Parkland and Sandy Hook– shared an important feature, they were both under 21 years of age and, accordingly, at a disproportionate risk of committing gun violence,” said Allison Anderman, Managing Attorney for the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “Just as raising the driving age to 21 significantly reduced the rate of auto fatalities among 18 to 20-year olds, it’s time to address the unique risks guns pose when they’re in the hands of unsupervised 18 to 20-year-olds. Raising the age to purchase all firearms to 21 is an important step in this direction.”

“We must do everything we can to reduce the number of gun homicides and mass shootings. AB 3 is sound policy and will make a difference. It will help save the lives of our families, friends and community members. The time for action is now,” concluded Bonta.

Assemblymember Rob Bonta represents the 18th Assembly District, which includes Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro and is the Assistant Majority Leader and Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus.


Editors Note:

In January, Bonta introduced AB 1927, which will allow people fearing suicide to voluntarily and confidentially submit their own names to California’s background check system to prevent themselves from purchasing a gun.

AB 1927 provides those battling suicidal thoughts an option to protect themselves by temporarily limiting their access to purchase firearms during a time of crisis. The bill also allows the individual to remove their name from the system once they can show they are no longer a danger to themselves or others. Press Release >>

You may also like

4 comments

No Mas Mar 20, 2018 - 1:37 pm

“Modern rifles pose a greater threat than handguns and a similar age restriction should apply,” said Amanda Wilcox, Legislation and Policy Chair for the California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and sponsor of AB 3.

Seriously? She said that with her outside voice? I believe she knows not how the criminal mind works. What she and this legislation are proposing is punishing law abiding citizens and rewarding real criminals.

Rifles are more difficult to conceal which is why they are not age restricted. Not rocket science lady.
Why is it liberals all suffer from oxygen deprivation when it comes to the 2nd amendment?

Trump2020 Mar 21, 2018 - 4:21 am

“Why do all liberals suffer from oxygen deprivation when it comes to the 2nd amendment”? Because man! A liberal is a person so open minded that their brains have fallen out. These people literally don’t understand anything in life , including which bathroom to use. The stupidity from the left is so out of control, I wonder how my children’s generation will even make it.

American Mar 21, 2018 - 8:22 am

So we can force a long gun on an 18 year old when in the armed forces, but we can’t sell them one. What is happening to the mental state of the left? Only the criminals will have guns when they are done. We need to vote them out before our society is turned over to anti social criminals by current politicians. They better move the enlistment age to 21 too I guess. Leftists seem to legislate laws that collide with existing laws.

Lola Saavedra Mar 21, 2018 - 3:18 pm

So? What if an 18, 19 or 20 year old got married and wanted to protect his wife and child, but had to wait until he was 21 in order to purchase a firearm? What should be resort to before that? Clubs, knives, bats, bricks?

Comments are closed.