New Bill Would Allow Minors to Possess Pistols
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A new bill making its way through the state house would make it legal for people under 18 to have a pistol with parental consent.
A proposed bill would make it legal for people under the age of 18 to possess a pistol. But there are conditions. The minor must have permission from a parent, guardian, or spouse over the age of 18. Senator Arthur Orr of Decatur is one of the bill’s sponsors.
“Under the law today, if a 16-year-old is in target shooting, they are breaking the law because they are in possession of a pistol.”
Orr says this new legislation will clean up the current law.
One of four additional conditions must also be met in order for a minor to posses a pistol.
The minor must be in the presence of a parent, guardian or spouse.
The minor must be on property owned or leased by their parent or other immediate family member or on the premises with the consent of the lawful owner of the premises.
The minor must be in the presence of a licensed or accredited gun safety instructor.
Or the minor must be using the pistol for hunting or other firearm sports.
Gloria Callens says she wouldn’t let her granddaughters use a pistol under any conditions.
“I would really oppose this bill because children at that age, they really have no business with the guns in their hands, even if they’re with someone else,” she says.
And others we spoke with agree.
“The old adage that if everybody has a gun, everybody is safer…to me that doesn’t make sense,” says Montgomery resident Micahel Romanski.
“I think it would open up a can of worms for a lot of other things, a lot of other violent activities,” says Lakeisha Movley.
Although people we spoke with say they’re against the bill, many on our facebook page support it. One commenter said “A gun is a gun. They should be able to have any type they want.” But what happens if a minor commits a crime with the pistol? Would the parent then be held responsible? Senator Orr says there’s a chance.
“You could make the argument that there was some kind of negligent entrustment grounds of a parent giving a person who quite frankly did not deserve the custody of possesion of a pistol to have that firearm.”
There is one other part of the bill. Currently, a firearms dealer has to keep records for every gun sold. Under this bill, the dealer would no longer have to. Senator Artur Orr says it reduces the red tape at the state level as far as record keeping.
