Florida Senate Passes Measure To Arm School Staff, Not Teachers

The Florida Senate passed an amendment, 20-18, to a school safety bill on Monday that would allow school staff members to carry firearms on campuses.

The amendment, proposed by Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Miami), would create a program for school personnel to carry guns, the Tampa Bay Times reported. State legislators rejected an amendment to the bill Saturday that would have banned assault weapons, such as the AR-15 used in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting last month.

Although the measure excludes most teachers, the bill does allow for teachers who are Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps educators, current military and law enforcement members to opt in.

“The goal is to make sure that those instructional personnel that are in the classroom cannot participate in the program,” Garcia said to the Times. “This is an opt-in program. … It’s dependent on the school district and the sheriff to determine if it participates in the program.”

Senate Bill 7026, also known as The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, will still have to pass in the state’s House and be signed by Republican Gov. Rick Scott before the legislative session ends Friday.


Source : huffingtonpost