COLUMBUS, OH — A new bill introduced in the Ohio Senate aims to align state law with what could become a major shift in federal firearms policy. Senate Bill 303, sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson and backed by the Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA), would allow adults ages 18 to 20 to legally purchase handguns from federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs).
Under current federal law, licensed dealers are prohibited from selling handguns to individuals under the age of 21. However, a growing number of legal challenges argue that this restriction is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court may soon weigh in, and Ohio lawmakers are preparing in advance.
“Sen. Johnson’s bill will not change federal law,” said BFA Executive Director Dean Rieck. “But it will prepare Ohio for the coming Supreme Court challenge to change the law regarding handgun purchases for those 18 to 20 years old.”
Addressing Inconsistencies in Firearms Laws
The proposed legislation seeks to address longstanding inconsistencies in federal and state law. While young adults ages 18 to 20 can already legally purchase rifles and shotguns from licensed dealers, they are prohibited from buying handguns — despite being able to own them if acquired through private sales.
As Rieck notes, “Eighteen-year-olds can vote, carry weapons in war, get married, raise children, and serve on juries. It makes no sense that they are deprived of gun rights.”
The bill, S.B. 303, amends several sections of the Ohio Revised Code to explicitly allow the sale and purchase of handguns by 18- to 20-year-olds through FFLs, assuming they are not otherwise prohibited under federal or state law.
Part of a Growing National Trend
Ohio is not alone in advancing legislation to restore full Second Amendment rights to young adults. Several states have recently enacted or are actively considering similar measures:
- Iowa has officially enacted House File 924, signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds on April 18, 2025. The law lowers the minimum age to obtain a professional or nonprofessional permit to carry weapons from 21 to 18, and allows 18-year-olds to acquire or carry handguns under specific conditions.
- North Carolina is considering Senate Bill 50, titled “Freedom to Carry NC,” which would allow permitless concealed carry for residents 18 years and older. The bill has been placed on the calendar for November 17, 2025, indicating continued momentum toward passage.
- Florida saw a federal judge strike down the state law that barred handgun purchases by adults aged 18 to 20, ruling it unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. The decision builds on the Supreme Court’s Bruenprecedent and recognizes equal carry rights for younger adults.
- Missouri’s House Bill 328, sponsored by Rep. Tim Taylor, passed the House of Representatives and was approved by a Senate Committee on April 24, 2025. The bill would lower the minimum concealed carry age to 18. It awaits further action in the Senate and is not yet scheduled for a final vote.
Meanwhile, the federal court landscape remains divided. The Fifth Circuit struck down the federal ban on handgun sales to adults under 21, while the Tenth and Fourth Circuits upheld similar restrictions. The U.S. Supreme Court is being asked to resolve the issue in Brown v. ATF, a case brought by the Second Amendment Foundation challenging the federal law.
A Proactive Step for Ohio
S.B. 303 is structured to activate only if federal law changes — either by a Supreme Court ruling or Congressional reform. It mirrors previous Ohio efforts to update state law in anticipation of federal changes, such as prior attempts to declassify suppressors as “dangerous ordnance.”
If passed, the bill would ensure that once federal restrictions are lifted, Ohioans aged 18 to 20 would not face unnecessary state-level barriers to exercising their Second Amendment rights.
This legislation reinforces a fundamental truth: the Constitution does not assign rights based on age, but on citizenship. If 18-year-olds can bear arms in defense of the country, they should also be trusted to defend themselves at home. Senate Bill 303 doesn’t challenge federal law — it prepares Ohio to restore lawful rights the moment those restrictions are deemed unconstitutional.
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