Florida State Senate passes new gun legislation News
Florida State Senate passes new gun legislation

The Florida Senate [official website] passed a bill [text, PDF] on Monday that would raise the age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21 and require a three-day waiting period for most firearm purchases. The bill would also ban the possession or sale of bump fire stocks, which are used to make a semi-automatic firearm work like an automatic one. The measure would also allow law enforcement to seize weapons from those who are determined to be mentally unfit or threatening, as well as provide additional resources for mental health services and armed officers in schools.

The bill, referred to as the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act,” would also make it possible for certain teachers to be armed. Teachers who “exclusively perform classroom duties” would be excluded, but current service members and current or former law enforcement officers would be allowed to be armed as a part of the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program. The program was named after Coach Aaron Feis, who was a victim in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February.

The Senate passed the bill 20-18 [roll call, PDF]. Now, the bill must go through the Florida House of Representatives [official website], and it is unclear how the House may ultimately amend the bill.