Florida state Senate passes a Marjory Stoneman Douglas gun control act — and some call it an insult to its namesake
Florida's Senate on Monday narrowly passed a sweeping yet contentious bill to increase school safety and restrict gun purchases, nearly three weeks after the shooting that left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Senate Bill 7026, named the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, would raise the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, require a three-day waiting period for most gun purchases, and ban the sale or possession of "bump stocks," which allow semiautomatic rifles to fire faster.
But the bill, which passed by 20 to 18 votes and now goes to the Florida House, does not ban assault and assault-style weapons — a measure vigorously pushed by many Parkland students and parents.
It also includes a contentious $67-million voluntary "school marshal" program that would let school districts allow some staff members to carry concealed weapons on campus after undergoing 132 hours of firearms training and 12 hours of diversity training.
The bill, which is being rushed through the Legislature before its session ends on Friday, would also provide additional funding for mental health services and give law enforcement officials more power to temporarily seize weapons and ammunition from people with mental health issues or threatening violence.
With Republicans controlling the House, it has a strong chance of passage there. Although Florida Gov. Rick Scott opposes the idea of arming teachers, he has not indicated whether he would veto the bill and call lawmakers back for a special session if it passes both chambers.
Although the bill was sponsored by Republicans, some GOP senators opposed it because they disagreed with raising the minimum age to buy a rifle to 21 from 18 or imposing a waiting period for gun sales.
Many Democrats also challenged the bill on the basis that it did not go far enough in banning assault rifles, or they did not approve of staff bringing guns into schools. But with Republicans holding a firm majority – 23 of the Senate's 40 seats – Democrats had little power to pass amendments or block it.
Senate Bill 7026, named the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, would raise the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, require a three-day waiting period for most gun purchases, and ban the sale or possession of "bump stocks," which allow semiautomatic rifles to fire faster.
But the bill, which passed by 20 to 18 votes and now goes to the Florida House, does not ban assault and assault-style weapons — a measure vigorously pushed by many Parkland students and parents.
It also includes a contentious $67-million voluntary "school marshal" program that would let school districts allow some staff members to carry concealed weapons on campus after undergoing 132 hours of firearms training and 12 hours of diversity training.
The bill, which is being rushed through the Legislature before its session ends on Friday, would also provide additional funding for mental health services and give law enforcement officials more power to temporarily seize weapons and ammunition from people with mental health issues or threatening violence.
With Republicans controlling the House, it has a strong chance of passage there. Although Florida Gov. Rick Scott opposes the idea of arming teachers, he has not indicated whether he would veto the bill and call lawmakers back for a special session if it passes both chambers.
Although the bill was sponsored by Republicans, some GOP senators opposed it because they disagreed with raising the minimum age to buy a rifle to 21 from 18 or imposing a waiting period for gun sales.
Many Democrats also challenged the bill on the basis that it did not go far enough in banning assault rifles, or they did not approve of staff bringing guns into schools. But with Republicans holding a firm majority – 23 of the Senate's 40 seats – Democrats had little power to pass amendments or block it.
Source: latimes
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