WASHINGTON, DC – On the anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and 17 colleagues in introducing the Age 21 Act, legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. Individuals under 21 have used assault weapons in some of the most devastating school shootings in U.S. history, including the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
“The gun violence epidemic in our country is rampant, devastating communities and taking innocent lives,” said Senator Hirono. “This commonsense legislation is a step in the right direction and will help to keep our communities safer by keeping these deadly weapons out of the hands of those under the age of 21. As we continue working to prevent gun violence across the country, our introduction of this bill will move us closer to putting an end to the thousands of preventable gun-violence related deaths every year.”
Gun violence is a national crisis, claiming over 46,000 lives in 2023 — the third-largest number of gun-related deaths in American history. Assault weapons, originally engineered for military combat to maximize damage, are frequently used in mass shootings because of their ability to inflict catastrophic harm in mere seconds. More than 85 percent of deaths in public mass shootings involving four or more fatalities were caused by assault rifles. Furthermore, shootings involving assault weapons or large-capacity magazines result in more than 2.5 times as many people being shot compared to incidents involving other firearms.
The bill’s restrictions on the sale of assault weapons, handguns, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and related ammunition to individuals under the age of 21 would apply to both federally licensed and private sellers. Additionally, the legislation would bar most individuals under 21 from possessing these items, with limited exceptions for specific circumstances such as service in law enforcement or the armed forces.
In addition to Senators Hirono and Padilla, the Age 21 Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The full text of the legislation is available here.
Senator Hirono is a strong advocate for gun safety legislation and is continuously fighting to protect victims and survivors of gun violence. In January 2025, Senator Hirono sent an amicus brief to the Supreme Court concerning the ongoing Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. et al., v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos case, urging the Supreme Court to hold gun manufacturers accountable for their role in the illegal trafficking of firearms to Mexico. In November 2023, Senator Hirono introduced the Lori Jackson – Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act to protect domestic violence survivors from gun violence. The legislation would expand on a provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that denies firearm sales to dating partners with misdemeanor domestic violence convictions – and not just abusers who had been married to, lived with, or had children with their victim. In November 2023, Senator Hirono reintroduced the Federal Firearm Licensing Act, legislation that would require individuals to obtain a federal firearm license before purchasing or receiving a firearm.
###