TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Wednesday at the Florida State Capitol, the House of Representatives spent nearly five hours or so debating a wide-ranging proposal sparked by last month's shooting.
The legislature's $400 million plan steers money to mental health screening and services and school hardening, and includes funds to demolish and rebuild the freshman building where Cruz is charged with killing 17 people.
Much of the bill is aimed at issues surrounding the Valentine's Day disaster, including raising the age from 18 to 21 and imposing a three-day waiting period for the purchase of rifles.
The most controversial part of the bill would allow specially trained teachers and staff members to take guns to schools.
"We have seen, on many levels, how the system failed," State Representative Ralph Massullo said. "One nice thing about this bill is that it, on many levels, attempts to correct some of those errors."
Those opposed to the bill, including Democrat Loranne Ausley, say the portion about arming some school employees alone make it impossible to support the legislation.
"Along with those incremental and reasonable steps, we are being asked to support this guardian program," Ausley said. "Let me be clear. I do not think that more guns in our schools is the answer."
If the House approves the bill, Governor Rick Scott must also sign off on the plan.
Scott said Wednesday that he will study the legislation and take input from the families who lost children in the Parkland shooting.
Those families have all signed a letter in support of the current bill, and some were in the House gallery Wednesday, watching the debate.
