Florida passes new gun control laws after mass shooting... and NRA immediately sues

The bill followed protests in the aftermath of the Florida school shooting
REUTERS
Robin de Peyer10 March 2018

The National Rifle Association has sued Florida after the state passed a new gun control in the wake of a mass shooting at a school.

The far-reaching bill was signed by Republican Governor Rick Scott after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month.

Parents of the victims watched the bill, which raises the legal age for the purchase of rifles in Florida from 18 to 21.

The legislation also allows the training and arming of staff at schools, and does not ban semi-automatic weapons such as that used in the shooting in Parkland on February 14.

Hours after the bill was passed, the NRA filed a federal lawsuit to block it.

Surrounded by family members of the 17 people killed in the Valentine's Day shooting, the Republican governor said the bill balances "our individual rights with need for public safety".

Student protesters in the aftermath of the Florida shooting
Reuters

"It's an example to the entire country that government can and has moved fast," said Mr Scott, whose state has been ruled for 20 years by gun-friendly Republican lawmakers.

Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina was killed in the shooting, read a statement from victims' families: "When it comes to preventing future acts of horrific school violence, this is the beginning of the journey. We have paid a terrible price for this progress."

The NRA insisted that the measure "punishes law-abiding gun owners for the criminal acts of a deranged individual".

The Parkland gunman "gave repeated warning signs that were ignored by federal and state officials. If we want to prevent future atrocities, we must look for solutions that keep guns out of the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others, while protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans," Chris W Cox, executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement.

The signing marked a major victory for the teens who lived through the attack and swiftly became the public faces of a renewed gun-control movement.

Just days after the shooting, they began holding rallies, lobbying lawmakers and harnessing the power of social media in support of reform.

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