Florida governor signs gun law

Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed into law Friday new regulations on gun sales and school safety in response to the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The bill raises the minimum age to buy rifles from 18 to 21, extends a three-day waiting period for handgun purchases to include long guns, and bans bump stocks that allow guns to mimic fully automatic fire. It also creates a program to enable teachers and other school employees to carry handguns. Scott previously had the support of the National Rifle Association but broke ranks with the group in signing the bill. He also angered the NAACP and the Florida Educators Association, groups that oppose arming school personnel, The Tampa Bay Times reported. Scott said the bill achieved a good balance between individual rights and public safety. “This is a time for all of us to come together, roll up our sleeves and get it done,” he said as he signed the legislation in the presence of family members of some of the 17 people who were killed in the Parkland shooting.