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House Debates School Safety, Fights Back Amendments

March 6th, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

The Florida House began talking about School Safety and Guns before lunch today, and is expected to continue the discussion into the early evening, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, a final vote is not expected until tomorrow.

House members asked probing questions about arming teachers.

Rep, Kionee McGee (D-Miami) asked:  “Where in your bill does it prevent a school guardian from possessing an AR-15?

In response, House Speaker-to-be Jose Oliva said many of the questions were more about delay than information.

“But the idea of guarding in a classroom, and having the last line of defense should probably rise above political theatre” said Oliva.

Speaking of theatre.

 

“Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.”

A handful of activists laid down..for 17 minutes…in the rotunda outside the House, Name cards identified the 17 dead in Parkland. Amber Martin is an FSU Student who participated.

 

“I don’t think they are really listening to us. We didn’t want more guns on school campuses” she told us.

Inside, Democrats filed 90 amendments… All expected to fail on party lines,

House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz got her fellow Democrats to take a caucus position against the legislation.

 

“Hope springs eternal. We’re going to keep fighting to the last minute” says Cruz.

The expectation  here is that the bill will pass exactly as it was sent from the Senate. That will allow the Governor to get it on Wednesday.

And the PTA is already looking to the Governor to find a way to kill the provision arming teachers, but Angie Gallo says the PTA is not looking for a veto.

 

“We don’t want him to veto the bill. We don’t want a veto of the bill because there is just too much good stuff in there for our schools, and our students and families need that, especially in Parkland” she told us.

And at least one victims father was in the Capitol working behind the scenes to change no votes to yes votes.

And if any amendments pass, changing the bill in any way, sending it back to the Senate could mean its death.

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