By: Journalist Heba Saleh (TU)
The House of Representatives heard OKWU-501 on Thursday, a firearms bill presented by Rep. Grant Molder.
The main point of the bill was to amend the Oklahoma Statutes by lowering the minimum age requirement for possessing a firearm from 21 to 18.
Rep. Molder, the author of the bill, said the bill is important because “As college kids, many of us choose to live alone” and those who do not have the facilities to protect themselves should have a way to do so “from violent crimes and dangerous situations” via firearms.
Although the bill passed the House and the Senate last session, it was failed by then-Gov. Evan Shaw because of a clerical error and was brought back this session with all amendments from the last session implemented.
Many points of contention this session were the same as the last. The main one was giving immature individuals a deadly weapon.
Aside from this, members of the House took issue with the fact that the bill struck a provision that prohibited those being convicted of assault and battery, domestic abuse, stalking and violations of a domestic abuse protection order from possessing a firearm.
Striking this provision was an accident, according to the author. A friendly amendment corrected this error.
Other members did not like the provision that excused veterans and those who previously served in the armed forces from the bounds of the bill.
“Regardless of age or experience, everyone should be held to the same standard” or else “we’re failing as a democratic nation,” Rep. Noelle Brezillac said.
During time for authors’ summation, the Rep. Molder reinforced his point that those who are physically incapable of protecting themselves should be able to do so with a firearm.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 39 in the affirmative and 31 in the negative.