Fla Senate Passes Bill to Arm Some Teachers, Restrict Gun Sales
NEWSMAX
In response to a deadly Florida school shooting
last month, the state's Senate narrowly passed a bill Monday that would
create new restrictions on rifle sales and allow some teachers to carry
guns in schools.
The 20-18 vote came after three hours of often emotional debate.
Support and opposition crossed party lines, and it was clear many of
those who voted for the bill weren't entirely happy with it.
"Do I think this bill goes far enough? No! No, I don't!" said Democratic Sen. Lauren Book, who tearfully described visiting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after 17 people were fatally shot on Valentine's Day.
She also would have liked a ban on assault-style rifles, like many of the students who traveled to the state Capitol to ask lawmakers to go even further to stop future mass shootings. But Book said she couldn't let the legislative session end Friday without doing something.
"My community was rocked. My school children were murdered in their
classrooms. I cannot live with a choice to put party politics above an
opportunity to get something done that inches us closer to the place I
believe we should be as a state," she said. "This is the first step in
saying never again."
"Do I think this bill goes far enough? No! No, I don't!" said Democratic Sen. Lauren Book, who tearfully described visiting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after 17 people were fatally shot on Valentine's Day.
She also would have liked a ban on assault-style rifles, like many of the students who traveled to the state Capitol to ask lawmakers to go even further to stop future mass shootings. But Book said she couldn't let the legislative session end Friday without doing something.
