"Senate Bill 896, sponsored by state Sen. Don Gaetz (R), is currently being considered for advancement within multiple committees in the Florida Senate. The bill would allow certain employees, faculty, and students to openly carry their personal firearms on campus grounds. The bill would make it a felony to discharge a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school during school hours or when an activity at a school is taking place. The legislation would also authorize colleges and universities "to participate in the school guardian program.""
"That program was established by the Republican-led state legislature following the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It allows school districts to request their respective sheriff's office to train school employees - including teachers, faculty, and other support staff - to become armed "guardians," to carry their weapons anywhere on school grounds. Schools are also authorized to enlist community members to become guardians, or to hire private security guards for that purpose."
"Critics lambasted the legislation at the time as unnecessarily enabling more guns on school grounds, rather than addressing the gun violence epidemic in the U.S. Notably, armed guards at schools rarely stop mass shootings, research has shown, and there are numerous examples of guns being mishandled by authorized individuals on school grounds."
Senate Bill 896 would expand the school guardian program and permit certain employees, faculty, and students to openly carry personal firearms on college and university campuses. The bill would create a felony for discharging a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school during school hours or during school activities. The guardian program, created after the 2018 Parkland shooting, allows school districts to request sheriff offices train employees and to enlist community members or hire private security as armed guardians. Critics contend the change increases guns on campus and note research showing armed guards seldom stop mass shootings and can mishandle weapons.
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