Florida Gov. Rick Scott hopes to update the state’s gun control policies. An assault rifle ban isn’t on the table, but age restrictions and tougher background checks are. He also hopes to require schools to have at least one armed guard on campus.
Last week a violent teenager massacred 17 people at Parkland high school.The horror of the event mobilized the state, thousands descended upon the Capitol to demand change.
“I want to make it virtually impossible for anyone who has mental issues to use a gun,” Scott said.
“I want to make it virtually impossible for anyone who is a danger to themselves or others to use a gun.”
Scott’s plan calls for broad changes in how society treats the mentally ill. Anyone who is involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility would be required to give up all of their guns. They wouldn’t be able to get them back until they convinced a judge that they were in sound mind.
According to the New York Post: “Anyone with a restraining order against them for stalking, cyberstalking, dating violence, repeat violence, sexual violence or domestic violence would also be banned from buying or possessing weapons.”
In addition to changes in how much access mentally ill people have to weapons, Gov. Scott hopes to implement a new age requirement for rifle purchases.
“Keeping guns away from dangerous people and people with mental issues is what we need to do,” Scott said.
To protect schools specifically, Scott’s plan calls for every campus to have at least one armed law enforcement officer on duty during working hours. Schools would also be required to hold active shooter drills once a semester.
Scott’s plan has a good chance of being approved. Floridians love their guns, but they’re also reasonable. A lot of suffering can be averted with just a few common sense laws.
(Source: New York Post)