The governor of Florida (USA), Rick Scott, announced today that he will destine 500 million dollars to improve school safety and mental health and try to avoid the repetition of events such as the massacre perpetrated at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Institute, in Parkland (southeast of the state).
“Today I announce a great plan of action, I will actively work with lawmakers over the next two weeks to achieve it,” Scott said in a statement, but regretted that “no plan can return the seventeen lives that were cut and all the hopes and dreams that were ruined. ”
“I know there are some who advocate withdrawing the Second Amendment, that’s not the answer,” said Scott, who was convinced that the solution is to “keep guns away from dangerous people with mental problems.”
“That’s what we need,” the governor said.
The second amendment to the Constitution of the United States enshrines the right of Americans to arm themselves.
The Florida Congress is confident that the plan announced by Scott, which sets the minimum age of 21 to buy weapons, also helps some teachers to carry concealed weapons in schools.
The state legislators pointed out that the proposals designed will allow teachers to receive a complete training in the use of weapons under the supervision of the different departments of the Police.
However, the plan does not contemplate a ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons such as the assault rifle that the author of the Parkland kill used.
The plan promoted by Scott is divided into three parts: gun laws, school safety and mental health.
A priority for the governor is to implement through the program “Order of Restriction of Violent Threats” a series of measures that make it “virtually impossible for a person with mental problems to have a weapon”.
The program will help a court “prohibit violent or mentally ill people from buying or possessing a firearm.”
A requirement for this type of ban to be enforced is that a family member, a “community welfare expert or law enforcement agent file a” sworn application and evidence before a court “about the potentially dangerous person.
It is known that the author of the Parkland massacre, Nikolas Cruz, aged 19, suffered from serious psychological and behavioral disorders.
Scott noted that Cruz, who is detained without bail, had previously received 39 visits from the police, was expelled from the institute and the students of the school were aware that he had threatened to shoot, which was reported to the FBI in January. past.
“And yet, (Cruz) was never put on a list that would prevent him from buying a gun, and the one he had was never withdrawn,” the governor criticized.
In addition, the governor wants to strengthen the “restrictions on the purchase and possession of weapons for mentally ill people” under the Baker Act, so that someone who “represents a risk to himself or others” is obliged to hand over all the weapons possess
This person will not be able to recover their right to buy or own a firearm until a judicial hearing is held.
In addition, all people who buy firearms will be required to be at least 21 years old (currently 18 years old), a point emphasized by the governor.
It will also prohibit a person from owning or purchasing a weapon “if subject to a court order for protection against predatory harassment” through communication technologies, dating violence, sexual or domestic.
Convictions will also be increased for crimes related to threats with firearms in schools and on social networks.
The second part of the plan plans to allocate 450 million dollars for the safety of the students, with the permanent presence of police officers on campus during class time.
The total planned expenditure is 500 million dollars.
The governor proposed the presence of at least one police officer for every 1,000 students, a measure that should take effect in 2018.
