- March 28, 2024
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Activist groups across Florida are asking Gov. Rick Scott to veto funding for the Guardian program, a part of Senate Bill 7026, which raised the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21.
Under the newly passed Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Safety Act, the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program was also created to allow certain school employees to carry guns on school property. School personnel must complete 132 hours of firearm safety and proficiency training to be eligible.
However, 25 political Indivisible groups are requesting that the budget, passed by the Florida legislature on Sunday, March 11, contains allocations to fund the Guardian program. The Florida Education Association has already contacted Gov. Scott’s office with a request to use his line-item veto powers to cut the funding for the program from the state budget. The groups are asking the same.
A press release from the groups stated that "allowing more guns in school settings invites more tragedy in the place students should be safest."
Individuals and groups supporting the veto:
Vickie Neapolitan-Scott, Indivisible NWFL
Christine Hanna, Indivisible Action Tampa Bay
Linda Roe, Venice Indivisible
Tracey Tapp, Progressives NWFL
Dianne Perry, Action Together Suncoast
Mary Lawrence, Indivisible St. Johns
Risa Ross, Ormond Beach Action Group
Robin Dion, Ponte Vedra United for Progress
Kathryn Norris, The Florida Keys Indivisible
Orlando Indivisible
Nancy Levine, Indivisible Mandarin
Pat Halperin, Indivisible Bradenton Pro-gressive
Darlene Goodfellow, Indivisible East Hillsborough
Stephanie Karst, Indivisible Gainesville
Becky Berman, Indivisible United Florida 6th District
Vickie Dunn, Indivisible FL-13
Mary Jane Romano, Indivisible Vero Beach
Katherine Sutherland, United for Action—Central Florida
Jane Hunter, Englewood Indivisible
Dee Melvin, Indivisible in The Villages
Kaye Abight, Indivisible Marion County
Virginia Ruppert, Indivisible Pasco
Diana Becker Lebrun, Indivisible Flagler
Linda Roe, Indivisible Venice
Laurie Woodward Garcia, Broward for Progress