Today, the Florida House of Representatives passed on a party line vote SB 7030, a bill that would allow the arming of teachers in schools. The House vote happened one day after news outlets reported that a school resource officer’s gun accidentally went off at Weightman Middle School in Wesley Chapel. The bill is now headed to the governor’s desk.

Terrie Rizzo, chair of the Florida Democratic Party stated:

“A day after a gun accidentally went off in a Florida middle school, Republicans have voted to put more guns in our schools. The people of Florida are against this, our teachers are against this, Florida’s students are against this, and even the Republican sheriff for Parkland appointed by Governor DeSantis is against this.

“Republican lawmakers care more about following orders from the NRA than keeping our schools safe. Speaker Jose Oliva’s refusal to allow the survivors of Parkland to provide public testimony proved that. If Governor Ron DeSantis signs this bill into law, he too will prove his loyalty is to the NRA and not to the people of Florida.”