Florida has consistently been one of the worst states in regards to gun regulations. The Giffords Law Center To Prevent Gun Violence consistently gave Florida a rating of F for having little to no gun laws. However, it seems things are changing in Florida.
Just last month, in Parkland, Florida, 17 students were killed at the local high school when a 19-year-old former student of that same high school entered the building with an AR-15. This was a semiautomatic weapon which, under Florida's almost nonexistent gun laws, he was able to legally obtain. The AR-15 seems to be a common choice of weapon in mass shootings around our country for many years. However, they are still legal to purchase.
The students from Parkland, Florida refused to stay silent after their school was attached and their fellow students were killed. They were vocal, and continue to be vocal, about demanding stricter gun laws not just in Florida, but all over the country. Everyone was eager to see what Florida governor Rick Scott, a man who had been against stricter gun regulations in Florida due to receiving donations from the NRA, would do in response to this attack if he was to do anything at all.
Just three weeks after the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, Governor Rick Scott passes new laws for Florida which imposed a three day waiting period for long gun purchases, raised the minimum age for purchasing long guns to 21, and banned the possession of bump stocks. While the passing of these laws goes against Governor Scott's longtime ties to the National Rifle Association (NRA), it is obvious that he is still pandering to the NRA.
One of the main demands which came from the students in Parkland, Florida following the shooting was a plea for a complete ban of assault weapons. It is clear that not including a complete ban on assault weapons is an attempt by Governor Scott to stay on the NRA's good side. However, the NRA is clearly unhappy with Florida's new gun laws, and they may even be unhappy with Governor Scott.
The NRA's Florida lobbyist, Marion Hammer, was an outspoken critic of the bill in Florida. She believed that it was an infringement of the Second Amendment. and said it passed the state House in “a display of bullying and coercion.” She specifically objected to the new waiting period, the increased age limits and the ban on bump stocks. In fact, after Governor Scott signed the bill into law, the NRA filed a suit in an attempt to block raising the minimum age for purchasing long guns, arguing that the change violates the constitutional rights of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds.
Governor Scott, who has previously held an A-plus rating from the NRA said, “I have not spoken to anybody in the NRA since this happened.” He is clearly worried about the consequences his actions will have in regards to his good standing with the NRA.
It took long enough for Florida to tighten its gun laws, but what Governor Scott has done is not enough. According to a Quinnipiac poll taken more than a week after the latest shooting, 65 percent of voters were in favor of stricter gun laws, 87 percent of voters were in favor of a mandatory waiting period on all gun purchases, and 78 percent of voters were in favor of requiring that all gun buyers be at least 21 years old.
While the passing of this bill by Governor Scott is a start, it is definitely not enough. Governor Scott needs to stop pandering to the NRA. Not only does Florida need a ban on assault weapons, but the entire country needs a ban on assault weapons. Governor Scott needs to realize that he cannot please both sides. If he is going to be pro-regulation, then he needs to be all in. We need to contact our senators and governors and let them know how we feel about these important issues. Now is the time to stand up and fight for what you believe in. You can contact your senator by following the guide here. Alternatively, you can contact your governor by following the guide here.
