ORLANDO, Fla. — Thursday will mark one year since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida, while on Capitol Hill, lawmakers will review a series of bills aimed at preventing gun violence.
- Bill supporters say universal background checks will curb gun violence
- Opponents say bill doesn't address private-party sales
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Similar bills aiming to expand background checks were proposed six years ago, but they did not go as far as the new proposal, which would require background checks for all firearm sales, with no exceptions.
House lawmakers will consider the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 on Thursday, around the time a vigil will be held at Pulse nightclub to honor the victims of the Parkland shooting.
The act is designed to reinforce current laws requiring background checks on firearms sales.
The act has support from both sides of the aisle: 18 Florida representatives have co-sponsored it, and the House Judiciary Committee will begin considering the proposal.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), who says that after the San Bernardino shooting that claimed the lives of 14 people, "I'm a parent, I'm a grandparent. I want my kids and grandkids to be safe, and I want everyone else's families to be safe."
Some critics argue the bill would not do much to prevent gun violence. Opponents of the proposal says it does not address person-to-person sales or other private party sales, like at gun shows where background checks often do not happen.
Supporters of the bill think requiring stronger, universal background checks would help curb some of the gun violence seen throughout the country.
The onePulse Foundation will be honoring the lives of the Parkland victims and survivors at the Pulse interim memorial in Orlando at 2:15 p.m. Thursday.
A moment of silence will be held at 2:21 p.m., which is the time that the gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.