Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 20 February 2018

Florida: Few states let courts take guns

School shooting puts pressure on lawmakers from people deemed a threat

Continued from Front "We need to make sure ev- lican Sen. Dennis Baxley. By RYAN J. FOLEY
The attack seemed to erything is working and to Referring to gun-control DON THOMPSON
overcome the resistance learn from the experience," advocates, he said: "Some- SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The warnings around Niko-
of some in the state's lead- said Galvano, who was times I wish they were right, las Cruz seemed to flash like neon signs: expelled from
ership, which has rebuffed among those who visited that this would fix it, but it school, fighting with classmates, a fascination with
gun restrictions since Re- the school. won't ... We have a ter- weapons and hurting animals, disturbing images and
publicans took control of The Senate is also consider- rible problem with obesity, comments posted to social media, previous mental
both the governor's office ing boosting spending on but we're not banning forks health treatment.
and the Legislature in 1999. mental health programs for and spoons." In Florida, that wasn't enough for relatives, authorities or
However, there is still strong schools and giving law-en- Democrats believe raising his schools to request a judicial order barring him from
resistance by many in the forcement greater power the age limit and creating possessing guns.
party to any gun-control to involuntarily hold some- a waiting period to buy ri-
Only five states have laws enabling family members,
guardians or police to ask judges to temporarily strip
gun rights from people who show warning signs of vio-
lence. Supporters of these measures, deemed "red flag
laws" or gun-violence restraining orders, say they can
save lives by stopping some shootings and suicides.
Florida, where Cruz is accused of using an AR-15 as-
sault weapon to kill 17 people at his former high school,
lacks such a law. He was able to legally own the semi-
automatic rifle, even though his mother, classmates
and teachers had at times described him as danger-
ous and threatening, and despite repeated police visits
to his home.
Red flag legislation has been introduced by Democrat-
ic state lawmakers, but it hasn't been heard during this
year's session, and its fate is uncertain in a state Legis-
lature controlled by Republicans who generally favor
expanding gun rights.
After Wednesday's shooting, Republican Gov. Rick
Scott said he will work to make sure people with men-
tal illnesses don't have access to guns, but offered no
specifics. Florida's GOP Sen. Marco Rubio — facing criti-
cism from support he has received from the National
Rifle Association — is going a step further now.
Konstantine Anthony, left, joins other grassroots protestors during a rally against gun violence in Rubio said on a Sunday morning show that state legis-
downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. Hundreds of sign-carrying, chanting protesters lators should "absolutely" consider enacting a law en-
have converged on a downtown Los Angeles park, demanding tougher background checks and abling family members or law enforcement officials to
other gun-safety measures following last week's deadly school shooting in Florida.
(AP Photo/Richard Vogel) ask a court to remove guns from a person who poses
a danger. Rubio, who once served as Florida's House
speaker, told Miami CBS affiliate WFOR that it's an "ex-
measures, leaving the fate one considered a danger fles isn't enough. ample of a state law" that could have helped prevent
of new restrictions unclear. to themselves. The body "That's unacceptable. the Florida shooting.
Sen. Bill Galvano, a Repub- will also look at a proposal That's a joke," said Demo- In 2014, California became the first state to let family
lican and the incoming to deputize a teacher or cratic Sen. Gary Farmer of members ask a judge to remove firearms from a rela-
state senate president, said someone else at school Broward County. "I don't tive who appears to pose a threat. Its legislature took
the Senate was prepar- so they are authorized to see that as a restriction. It action after a mentally ill man, Elliot Rodger, killed six
ing a package that would have a gun. never should have been students and wounded 13 others near the University of
include raising the age to Galvano said senators that an 18-year-old could California, Santa Barbara, before killing himself.
purchase any firearm to 21, want to examine ways to buy an assault weapon. No California's law also empowers police to petition for
creating a waiting period protect schools that do not Floridians should be able to the protective orders, which can require authorities to
for purchasing any type have resource officers — buy an assault weapon." remove firearms for up to one year. Connecticut, Indi-
of firearm, banning bump often armed law enforce- Since the attack, students ana, Oregon and Washington also have some version
stocks that can allow semi- ment officers — on site. from the school have be- of a red flag law.
automatic guns to spray State House leaders and come increasingly vocal in More than a dozen others, including Hawaii, New Jer-
bullets quickly and creat- Gov. Rick Scott also are their demands for gun-con- sey and Missouri, are considering bills to enable family
ing gun-violence restrain- considering possible trol measures. Many have members or police to petition the courts to take weap-
ing orders. changes to firearms rules pointed out politicians ons away from people showing signs of mental distress
Authorities said Cruz had a but have not given any de- who take financial support or violence. The Florida shooting has revived debate
string of run-ins with school tails. Scott planned meet- from the National Rifle As- about whether teachers and school administrators
authorities that ended with ings Tuesday on school sociation, and some have should have that authority as well, given that people
his expulsion. Police were safety, and said he would lashed out at President at Cruz’s high school witnessed much of his erratic be-
also repeatedly called to announce proposals on Donald Trump, saying he havior.
his house throughout his mental health issues later in was busy blaming Demo- California lawmakers voted to expand their law in 2016
childhood. Cruz's lawyers the week. crats for failing to pass gun so that high school and college personnel, co-workers
said there were repeated Still, some Republicans restrictions while taking no and mental health professionals can seek the restrain-
warning signs that he was questioned whether addi- action of his own. Students ing orders, but Gov. Jerry Brown called the effort pre-
mentally unstable and tional gun restrictions are are also calling for anti-gun mature and vetoed it. State Assemblyman Phil Ting, a
potentially violent. Yet he the answer. "I really don't violence demonstrations in San Francisco Democrat, said he plans to reintroduce
legally purchased a semi- want to see this politicized Washington and other cit-
automatic rifle. into a gun debate," Repub- ies March 24. q the bill. q