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Florida Senate passes bill raising age to buy guns

Florida Senate passes bill raising age to buy guns
Posted at 6:55 PM, Mar 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-05 19:13:09-05

The Florida State Senate passed a bill Monday that would raise the age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21, require a three-day waiting period for most gun purchases and ban the sale or possession of bump fire stocks, which can make it easier for a semi-automatic weapon to function like an automatic rifle.

The "Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act" (SB 7026) would also give law enforcement more power to seize weapons and ammunition from those deemed mentally unfit or otherwise a threat and provide additional funding for armed school resource officers and for mental health services.

The Senate measure comes more than two weeks after a gunman killed 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Stoneman Douglas students and parents have lobbied lawmakers to pass stricter gun control measures.

The bill now moves to the Florida House. It's not immediately clear when the House will take up the measure.