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Florida gun control: Bill passes another hurdle, steps closer to reality

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 08 Mar 2018, 05:21 am Print

Florida gun control: Bill passes another hurdle, steps closer to reality

Tallahassee: Days after 17 school children were killed by a gunman in Florida, a gun control bill in USA overcame another hurdle to take a step closer to becoming a reality, reports said.

Gun control lobbyist have demanded that the age be raised from 18 to 21 for people purchasing gun.

Additionally, a three-day waiting period on all gun sales have been proposed by those seeking the change.

The bill, known as Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, has already passed the senate and has been forwarded to the state governor.

The bill was debated for over eight hours on Wednesday and was voted 67-50 in favour, media reports said.

However, it has not included the ban on the sale of assault-style weapons, despite it being one of the key issues raised by the lobbyists.

A spokeswoman for Florida Governor Rick Scott said the former has remained neutral thus far.

It will automatically become a law within a fortnight if the Governor does not take a call.

Though the legal age to buy a rifle in the US is 21, in Florida, an 18-year-old too can buy a rifle.

The gunman in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attack was identified as 18-year-old Nikolas Cruz, who had legally brought the weapon he used to fatally shoot his former school mates.


 

Image: twitter.com/FLGovScott