Bill restricting gun purchases goes to Florida Senate

17 people were killed in the school shooting on February 14. Pic/AFP

The Florida Senate agreed to advance a bill that would increase school safety and restrict gun purchases during a rare weekend session that often turned into a debate on gun control and arming teachers in the aftermath of last month's Parkland school shootings.

The Senate spent nearly eight hours on Saturday debating dozens of amendments to the 100-page bill before finally approving the legislation for a final vote. Democratic proposals to ban assault rifles and large-capacity magazines were rejected.

While crafted by Republicans, some GOP senators still opposed it because they don't agree with raising the minimum age to buy a rifle from 18 to 21 or requiring a waiting period to buy the weapons.

While some oppose the bill, others believe it's at least a first step toward gun safety. Democrats want to ban weapons such as the AR-15 assault-style rifle, which was used to kill 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14.

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