PARKLAND, Fla. (The News Service) - Governor Rick Scott will meet Friday with the families of victims of last month's mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, raising expectations that he will sign into law a sweeping school-safety measure that sparked push-back from people on both ends of the gun-control spectrum.
Late Wednesday, the Florida House of Representatives voted 67-to-50 to approve legislation to spend $400 million on mental health screening and services and school hardening.
Additionally, the measure will raise the age from 18 to 21 and impose a three-day waiting period for the purchase of rifles. The most controversial part of the measure allows specially trained teachers and staff members to bring guns to schools.
State representative Jared Moskowitz, a graduate of Stoneman Douglas High School, says the advocacy of the parents and the timing of the shooting are the reasons the bill passed.
"Because we were in session, and being in session in an election year, those two forces combined and something had to happen," said Moskowitz.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Scott said the opinion of the parents was among the most important things for him to consider as he decides what to do about the bill.
"I'm going to review the bill line by line," said Scott. "The group that I am going to be talking to, the group that I care the most about right now because it impacted them so much, is the families."
The families of all 17 of the victims of the Parkland shooting have encouraged Scott to sign the legislation.
