We’ve written about this issue before, and we’re pleased to report that Florida’s courts have finally recognized what should have been obvious all along: an 18-year-old adult has the same constitutional rights as every other adult. This week, a Florida appeals court ruled that the state’s ban on concealed carry for law-abiding adults ages 18 to 20 violates the Second Amendment.
For years, Florida lived under the absurd reality that an 18-year-old could enlist in the military, carry a firearm in service to America, and potentially give their life defending our nation—but could not fully exercise the same right to self-defense at home as a 21-year-old citizen. The court rightly pointed out this contradiction, noting that 18-year-olds are members of the same political community as other adults and are entitled to the same constitutional protections.
This restriction was passed in the emotional aftermath of the Parkland tragedy in 2018. While the desire to “do something” was understandable, good intentions do not justify violating constitutional rights. Too often, legislators respond to public pressure, media narratives, and fear-driven politics by passing laws that sound good in a press conference but fail constitutional scrutiny when challenged in court.
The real cost of bad legislation is rarely discussed. Taxpayers spend years funding lawsuits. Courts devote countless hours reviewing laws that should never have been enacted. Citizens lose rights while waiting for judges to correct legislative mistakes. In this case, it took years of legal battles to restore rights that should never have been taken away in the first place.
This ruling should serve as a reminder to lawmakers that constitutional rights are not suggestions. They are not privileges to be granted or withheld based on political pressure. Whether the issue involves free speech, property rights, religious liberty, due process, or the right to keep and bear arms, legislators should begin every discussion with a simple question:
“Does this law respect the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens?”
If the answer is no, the legislation should never leave committee.
Florida’s courts have now corrected one mistake. The challenge for lawmakers is to stop creating new ones.
