skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Grieving Parkland Parents Urge Nation to Follow Florida's Lead

play audio
Play

Monday, March 12, 2018   

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Even though the National Rifle Association sued the state of Florida just after Gov. Rick Scott signed a new gun control bill Friday afternoon, parents of the victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are calling on other states to follow Florida's lead.

SB 7026 raises the minimum age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21, bans the sale of bump stocks and creates a three-day waiting period for all gun purchases, while also allowing for the arming of school staff on Florida campuses. The NRA is now asking a federal judge to block the age restriction and keep the bill from being enforced.

But Tony Montalto, father of Parkland shooting victim Gina Montalto, is calling on other states to emulate Florida in creating tighter gun restrictions.

"We have paid a terrible price for this progress,” Montalto said. “We call on more states to follow Florida's lead and create meaningful legislation to make all schools safer. This time must be different."

The NRA said 18-year-olds are considered adults in most aspects, and thus should be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The organization also said the bill works against the 14th amendment's equal protection clause by not allowing 18- to 21-year-olds who follow the laws to buy a rifle.

The bill comes just over three weeks after a 19-year-old former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland walked onto the campus and killed 17 students and staff.

A Republican-controlled Legislature makes the bill's passage a notable achievement for survivors of the shooting and parents, who launched a new gun control campaign. State Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat who represents northern Broward County, said the lawsuit is no surprise, since the NRA has tried to stop the bill several times before.

"It's unequivocal. They wanted this bill to fail because they know if we leave here with gun control, this will be a wind behind the sails of those kids as they march into Washington, D.C.” Moskowitz said. “They know the world is paying attention."

Gov. Scott, an NRA member himself, said members of the organization both agree and disagree with the passage of the bill, and added that it isn't perfect in his eyes, either.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021