A bipartisan group of U.S. senators met Tuesday on Zoom to continue exploring a compromise on gun safety legislation, just as more families in Uvalde, Texas, held funerals for some of 19 children and two teachers slaughtered there at an elementary school last week. We’re not naive enough to think that Congress will finally break from the gun lobby and embrace landmark reforms, like banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. But even more modest steps can help, as Florida showed in the aftermath of its own tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland four years ago.
Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty in October to murdering 17 and wounding 17 others at Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. While a jury is being selected to decide whether Cruz, now 23, is sentenced to death or life in prison, Florida lawmakers didn’t wait to adopt wide-ranging reforms that Republicans supported and that then-Gov. Rick Scott signed into law.
The legislation banned weapons sales to those younger than 21, imposed a three-day waiting period on most long-gun purchases and created a “red flag” law allowing authorities to temporarily confiscate weapons from people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others. Lawmakers dedicated $400 million for mental health and school security programs, and set aside $97.5 million in recurring funding for more school resource officers.
