In the wake of another round of mass shootings in America, conditions have ripened for some type of new legislation aimed at limiting gun violence.

Lawmakers have been cautiously meeting to finalize details of a gun violence compromise.

There have been several high-profile shootings in May and June, starting with the attack on May 14 that killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The following week, a gunman massacred 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

On this edition of To The Point Already, Bay News 9 anchors Rick Elmhorst and Roy DeJesus talk gun laws with Florida State University professor Gary Kleck and Bartow attorney David Carmichael and if there is any political atmosphere for change.

Florida’s GOP-led legislature enacted changes after 14 students and three staff members were shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in February 2018.  

Then-Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, signed legislation that banned bump stocks, raised the gun buying age to 21, imposed a three-day waiting period for purchases and authorized “red flag” laws for police to seek court orders seizing guns from people deemed threats to themselves and others.

Now, the federal framework includes access to the juvenile records of gun buyers age 18 to 20. Both shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde were 18, and both used AR-15 style rifles, which can load high-capacity magazines.

The plan also includes added spending for mental health and school safety programs, tougher penalties for gun trafficking and requirements that slightly more gun dealers obtain federal firearms licenses.

“I’ve studied all of the mass shootings of the past 30 years or so,” Kleck said. “And if you craft a solution focusing on the unique elements of the last couple of notorious incidents, you’re not likely to come up with a useful solution.

Instead, (we) should think about routine gun violence which impacts one victim at a time. (That) accounts for 99-plus percent of the gun violence in America.”

It remains to be seen how far lawmakers will go.

Even so, it would be Congress’ most robust move against gun violence in decades.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Spectrum Bay News 9 anchor Rick Elmhorst sits down with the people that represent you, the people fighting for change and the people with fascinating stories to ask the hard questions.

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