Oregon Becomes First State To Pass New Gun Control Law After Parkland Shooting
The Oregon legislature approved further limits to residents’ ability to purchase firearms Thursday, becoming the only state to pass gun control legislation in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Feb. 14.
The bill, introduced before the murders of 17 Florida high schoolers, will prohibit anyone convicted of stalking or domestic abuse or anyone with a restraining order from purchasing a firearm or ammunition, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Oregon’s Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, lobbied heavily for the bill and intends to sign the measure into law.
No other state has taken action to increase gun controls since the shooting.
The Florida legislature had a pending bill to ban “assault weapons” and large-capacity magazines, but the Republican-lead body voted it down.
Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attended the session at the state Capitol in Tallahassee and were distraught when the bill was rejected.
It is widely recognized that the bill had slim political chances.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, announced plans Friday to prohibit firearms sales to anyone under the age of 21, but has yet to take action.
“We will require all individuals purchasing firearms to be 21 or older,” he said.
“There will be exceptions for active duty and reserve military and spouses, National Guard members and law enforcement. There is nothing more important than the safety of our kids. Our kids deserve nothing less.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich joined calls for gun control Sunday when he bashed Congress for inaction on the issue.
“Common sense guns laws make sense,” Kasich said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I think Congress is totally dysfunctional. I’ve never seen anything like this. They just can’t seem to get anything done. They can’t agree to anything down there. Wake up.”
Kasich has been a leading moderate Republican since losing the Republican presidential primary to then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016.
He’s been a vocal critic of both President Trump and the Republican party throughout Trump’s presidency.
Trump took aim at Kasich Feb. 2 at a speech before the Republican National Committee, reportedly mocking the Ohio governor for his dismal performance in the 2016 Republican presidential primary and for going on television and criticizing him.
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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