Fla. governor's new plan would keep people under 21, mentally ill from buying guns; ban bump stocks

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) unveiled a $500 million proposal on Friday to bolster security at public schools, and the proposal includes verbiage that would ban citizens under 21 years of age — as well as those who are mentally ill — from purchasing guns.

Controversial bump stocks would also be prohibited by the state under Scott's proposal.

What are the details?

The efforts would be concentrated on Scott's three proposed core tenets: changing some gun laws, increasing school safety, and expanding mental health services.

Of that $500 million, money would be allocated to equip each school with law enforcement officers — one officer for every 1,000 students — as well as to update and implement other means of school security, such as metal detectors.

"I want to make it virtually impossible for anyone who has mental issues to use a gun," Scott said during a Friday news conference. "I want to make it virtually impossible for anyone who is a danger to themselves or others to use a gun."

Scott also discussed what he called the "Violent Threat Restraining Order," which he said "will allow a court to prohibit a violent or mentally ill person from purchasing or possessing a firearm or any other weapon when either a family member, community welfare expert, or law enforcement officer files a sworn request."

The filer would also have to present evidence to support a "threat of violence involving firearms or other weapons."

About $50 million of those funds would include funding for mental health initiatives.

"We must expand mental health service teams statewide to serve youth and young adults with early or serious mental illness by providing counseling, crisis management and other critical mental health services," Scott explained.

Also during his remarks, Scott added, "We will require all individuals purchasing firearms to be 21 or older. Let me repeat — we will require all individuals purchasing firearms to be 21 or older."

Exceptions to Scott's proposal include "active duty and reserve military and spouses, National Guard members, and law enforcement" who are under 21 years of age.

You can read Scott's plan in its entirety here.