Florida’s Governor Rick Scott signed a bill on Friday which makes significant steps in reducing gun violence in the wake of the Parkland massacre.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, named after the school where 17 were murdered last month by a teenager who legally bought his weapons, bans bump stocks which can turn weapons into semi-automatic killing machines.
It also raises the minimum age of purchasing a weapon from 18 to 21 and sets aside funding for school resource officers so that they can be better equipped if they are confronted with a shooting.
That one element of the bill has sparked debate.
Florida Governor Rick Scott signs the The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act on Friday
Some of the teen survivors from the February 14 massacre argued against it but the families of the youngsters killed urged for the bill to be pushed through.
What has not happened is a ban on semiautomatic assault rifles.
Announcing the bill, Gov. Scott said: ‘Today should serve as an example to the entire country that government can and must move fast.’
Scott previously said he believed it was the job of the police to protect students at teachers from shooters.
He said he was open to speaking with the families of the teenagers killed, however, before making any decisions.
Critics have said permitting school staff to carry firearms on the job only heightened the risks of gun violence, and posed a particular risk to minority students, who they said were more likely to be shot in the heat of a disciplinary situation or if mistaken as an intruder.
Tony Montalto and his wife Jennifer lost their daughter Gina in the shooting. They stood next to Gov. Scott to watch him sign the bill
Scott is pictured on Friday addressing the media after signing the bill in
Scott said he remained dissatisfied with the guardian provisions as adopted in the bill but signed it nonetheless, saying it would enhance school safety overall.
‘I am glad, however, that the plan in this bill is not mandatory, which means it will be up to locally elected officials.
‘If counties don’t want to do this, they can simply say no.’
On Friday, Cruz appeared before a judge again to face 17 attempted murder charges for the teenagers he injured in his killing spree.
He has already been indicted on them and 17 other capital murder charges. Prosecutors have until April 28 to decide whether they will pursue the death penalty.
Protesters are dissatisfied with local change. They are calling for federal action to ban the sale of semiautomatic weapons.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to take to the streets in protest on March 24 to for the March for Our Lives.
President Trump has vowed to ban bump stocks across the country.
Gunman Nikolas Cruz appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale on Friday on attempted murder charges. He has already appeared on capital murder charges