Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott put his A-plus rating with the National Rifle Association at risk by signing into law gun regulations that give both sides some of what they want while also leaving everyone wanting more.
The law is called the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. Here's what it does:
Scott said he opposed parts of the law, including the new waiting period and the program to arm teachers. Still, he touted it as a good solution and a conversation-starter.
"I am going to do what I think are common sense solutions," Scott said, according to The Washington Post. "I think this is the beginning. There is now going to be a real conversation about how we make our schools safe."
Scott, who is eyeing a Senate bid against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), criticized the federal government for failing to take any meaningful steps following the tragedy in Parkland.
"If you look at the federal government, nothing seems to have happened there," Scott said. "You go elect people, you expect them to represent you, get things done."
The governor's support of the bill contrasts with his comments on the Second Amendment, made at the NRA Annual Meeting in April.
"We love tourists, new residents and the Second Amendment," Scott said in April, according to The Washington Post. "What does 'shall not' infringe on the people's right to bear arms mean? It means shall not infringe. It's not really complicated."
The law strikes a tenuous political middle ground, as Democrats and other gun control advocates would have preferred to see an assault weapons ban included, while many Republicans, the NRA and other gun rights advocates believe the restrictions in the law represent a violation of the Second Amendment.
The NRA attempted to mobilize citizens against the bill earlier in the week, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"YOU and every other law-abiding gun owner is being blamed for an atrocious act of premeditated murder," wrote NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer on Tuesday. "Neither the 3-day waiting period on all rifles and shotguns, raising the age from 18 to 21 to buy any firearm, or the bump stock ban will have any effect on crime. Despite that fact, Senate leaders rammed through gun control as part of the bill."
The Florida Education Association opposed the funding to arm teachers, which Scott allowed in the law despite having the ability to use a line-item veto to reject it.
Aaron Colen
Aaron is a former staff writer for TheBlaze. He resides in Denton, Texas, and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Master of Education in adult and higher education.
