The massacre of 17 persons in the high school in Parkland has led to the creation of a bill to ensure the safety of school children from gun violence. The bill has been approved by the state's second legislative body, at 67 to 50, and only a veto by the Governor can stop it from becoming law. One of the aspects covered in the bill pertains to increasing the legal age for buying rifles. Another is of mandatory a time-bound waiting period on all firearms sales. Also, some employees of public schools would be allowed to carry guns. However, even though an assault type of weapon was used in the Florida shooting, such weapons are not covered in the proposal.
Sky News reports that a grand jury has formally charged the 19-year-old gunman with 17 counts of murder, and he could face the death penalty if convicted.
The support came from both sides
When tragedies like the one in Parkland occur, that support goes across party lines was evident in this case. The Florida gunman shot at random and the victims included children from both the sides. Therefore, in order to pass the bill, ten House Democrats and 57 Republicans extended support to it while 19 Republicans and 31 Democrats voted against it.
The arming of some school employees was a concept that is expected to act as a deterrent to gun violence. It is hoped it will provide a sense of security for the children as well as the staff.
The schools will identify the persons who would take on the responsibility. They will be given special training, be screened for mental health or drug issues and they must also obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon.
Gun control could feature in midterm elections
Governor Rick Scott is a Republican and an ally of the National Rifle Association.
He is not in favor of arming teachers. He also feels the three-day waiting period for all firearms needs to be reviewed because a similar provision already exists in Florida, but only for handguns. The proposed bill will become law in 15 days unless he vetoes it.
CNBC adds that this could become a major issue in the midterm elections which will decide the future course of action.
Gun control activists have descended on the scene after the shooting incident in Parkland. A survey by Quinnipiac University has revealed that about two-thirds of voters support tighter gun laws.
Obviously, candidates of both the parties will be under pressure to clarify their positions on how to check gun violence and come up with concrete proposals. The bottom line is that public opinion cannot be ignored and politicians must plan their strategies to win them over.
