Florida Waits To See If Governor Will Sign School Safety Law

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida Gov. Rick Scott has not yet said whether he will sign the legislature's narrowly approved response to the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The measure isn't what he asked for and may lead to a recoil from the National Rifle Association as he prepares for a possible Senate bid after he wraps up his second and final term.

But while the measure also falls short of what survivors demanded, a number of Parkland families see it as an improvement over the status quo that allowed a troubled former Stoneman Douglas student to purchase an AR-15 assault rifle and then allegedly use it to kill 17 students and faculty while wounding 16 others.

The new school safety bill, which has already won approval in the Florida Senate, would also arm some teachers and school employees, provide new mental health programs from schools and improve communication between school districts, law enforcement and state agencies.

“I’m going to take the time and I’m going to read the bill and I’m going to talk to families,” insisted Scott, who wouldn’t say whether he’ll sign it.

The governor's office released a statement on Thursday afternoon saying that Scott planned to meet again with families of Parkland victims.

“Our office has received SB 7026 from the Florida Legislature. The governor is thoroughly reviewing the legislation," according to the statement. "He will be meeting with victims’ families on Friday in Tallahassee before he acts. Our office will have more details as soon as they are available.”

The Florida House approved the new restrictions on rifle sales and other changes on Wednesday as students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were getting home from their first full day of classes.

Andrew Pollack, who lost his 18-year-old daughter Meadow in the shooting, and Ryan Petty, who lost his 14-year-old daughter Alaina, said there was enough good in the bill that it should pass.

“More needs to be done, and it’s important for the country to be united in the same way the 17 families united in support of this bill,” Pollack said after the vote. “My precious daughter Meadow’s life was taken, and there’s nothing I can do to change that, but make no mistake, I’m a father and I’m on a mission. I’m on a mission to make sure I’m the last dad to ever read a statement of this kind.”

The measure would raise the minimum age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and create a waiting period on sales of the weapons. It also would create a so-called guardian program, enabling school employees and many teachers to carry handguns if they go through law enforcement training and their school district agrees to participate.

Other provisions would create new mental health programs for schools; establish an anonymous tip line where students and others could report threats to schools, ban bump stocks and improve communication between schools, law enforcement and state agencies.

Scott has gotten top marks from the NRA in the past for supporting gun-rights measures, but he broke with the lobbying group after last month’s slayings, calling for raising the minimum age to purchase any type of gun. He doesn’t support arming teachers, however, and had wanted lawmakers to adopt his own $500 million proposal to put one or more law enforcement officer in every school.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Students are back on a regular schedule at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School three weeks after the Valentine's Day shooting. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.