Former Rare Staff
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has plans to introduce a new bill aimed at setting ages limits on gun purchases following the killing of high school students in Florida.
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Last week, authorities said Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Cruz was formerly a member of the school’s JROTC program. The shooting at the school marked the 25th American school shooting in which someone was killed since the devastating 1999 shooting at Columbine High School.
Cruz is 19 years old, prompting Feinstein to propose the following.
“I plan to introduce a bill to require ALL firearms purchases from gun dealers be restricted to individuals who are at least 21 years old. If you can’t buy a handgun or a bottle of beer, you shouldn’t be able to buy an AR-15,” she tweeted.
I plan to introduce a bill to require ALL firearms purchases from gun dealers be restricted to individuals who are at least 21 years old. If you can’t buy a handgun or a bottle of beer, you shouldn’t be able to buy an AR-15.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) February 17, 2018
As The Hill explains, selling handguns to buyers under the age of 21 is already against federal law. Despite this, federal law allows for the sale of long guns, including rifles, to buyers who are 18 or older.
The Hill also notes that a Democrat-controlled Senate failed to pass a bill of gun regulations in 2013. The measure would have expanded background checks for gun purchases.
Republican Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are expected to meet with Feinstein later in the week to discuss the legislation.
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