U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Parkland, has introduced legislation to prohibit sale of semiautomatic firearms to people under age 25. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)



U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz has introduced federal legislation raising the minimum age to buy semiautomatic firearms.

Under the legislation, someone under age 25 couldn't buy a range of weapons.

The prohibition would encompass semiautomatic rifles   including "all AK types," such as the AK47, and "all AR types," such as the AR-15   and semiautomatic pistols and shotguns.

Moskowitz was instrumental in passage of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, which raised the age to purchase a rifle from 18 to 21, created a statewide waiting period for long-gun sales and made it easier for law enforcement to seize weapons from people suspected of being dangerous.

An attempt to reverse a key element of the law — Florida’s increase in the age to buy a long gun — failed in the state Legislature this year, something Moskowitz celebrated. “The FL bill to lower the age to 18 to buy a gun in Florida is dead!” Moskowitz wrote last week on Twitter.

The proposed federal legislation, which was introduced late Tuesday, does not yet have co-sponsors. It faces long odds of passage. Almost all proposed limits on guns fail in Congress; and the Republicans who took control of the House this year are particularly opposed to such restrictions.

Opponents of restrictions on guns often cite the Second Amendment to the Constitution as a prohibition on limitations. Moskowitz is calling his proposed law the “Protecting the Second Amendment through Responsible Gun Ownership Act.”

Representatives from Gun Owners of America said Moskowitz’s proposal is unconstitutional, would be overturned by the courts and there are effective ways to stop those who would harm others.

“Americans’ Second Amendment rights are not second-class rights subject to the whims of politicians, and this legislation would grossly infringe on the right to keep and bear arms. Imagine the outrage if this Congressman instead introduced a bill to raise the voting age to 25,” Aidan Johnston, the organization’s director of federal affairs, said via email. “Instead of flouting the Constitution and his oath of office, Mr. Moskowitz should work to harden soft targets and deter violent criminals by reducing barriers to carrying for self-defense.”

Luis Valdes, the Florida state director of Gun Owners of America, called it a “blatant assault on the Second Amendment” and “a slap in the face to the Congressman’s constituents, who simply want to exercise their right to self-defense how they see fit. But, under this dystopian bill, if someone hasn’t reached 25 yet, they simply would be out of luck.”

The NRA media relations office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment made midday Wednesday.