Gov. Rick Scott Signs $400 Million Gun Control Bill: Includes Firearm Confiscation, Waiting Periods

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed a “$400 million” gun control bill that includes firearms confiscation measures and waiting periods for long gun purchases.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the bill also bans bump stocks–which were not even used in the Florida school shooting–and bucks the NRA by raising the minimum purchase age for long guns from 18 years of age to 21.

Fox News reports that the gun control package also funds bullet-proof glass for schools and will allow some teachers to be armed. The bill was originally designed to allow teachers to be armed on a broader basis but had to be augmented, as Gov. Scott opposes teachers being armed for self-defense.

On March 9 Breitbart News reported that the Florida Education Association (FEA) was urging Gov. Scott to use a line-item veto to remove armed teachers from the bill. CNN quoted a letter from FEA, which said, “We urge you to honor your instincts and act to keep additional firearms from our schools unless they are in the hands of trained law enforcement personnel. Please veto the funding and language in the budget that provides for arming school personnel.”

Florida’s Democrat House Caucus also unanimously opposed letting teachers to be armed to shoot back if under attack.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.