The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners has approved the lengthening of the firearm purchase waiting period.
- Commissioners voted 5-2
- Critics insist "cooling off periods" pointless
- Gun store owners say move will drive business to other counties
On Wednesday, commissioners voted 5-2 to extend the waiting period from 3 days to 5 days.
The move comes in the wake of emphasis on the state's gun laws after a school shooting in Parkland killed 17 students and administrators are Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
The increased wait time proposal came from Commissioner Les Miller shortly after the Parkland massacre.
"Maybe someone having a cooling off period, if they buy a gun, if they're thinking of doing something crazy, maybe they will change their minds," said Miller.
Critics of the proposal told the commissioners that "cooling off periods" are pointless.
"The problem is psychopaths enter our school with the intent of killing people," said Henry Brosnaham, a retired Marine. "Not a three-day wait or a five-day wait or a 100-day wait will matter. We can't let crazy people into our schools."
"The commission is just doing a 'feel good effort,' so they can look and say to their constituents, 'we tried to do something,'" said Stephen Price, a firearms instructor. "It doesn't work. The waiting period does not have an effect on crimes."
Gun store owners said a longer waiting period would drive business out of the county.
"Instead of stopping here in Hillsborough, they'll just leave the county to go buy somewhere else," said Marna Tracy, owner of Tampa Tactical Supply.
Their arguments didn't sway the commissioners, who voted in favor of lengthening the waiting period.
That was seen as a victory for gun control advocates, who were closely watching the vote.
"Waiting periods do decrease homicides and suicides," said Erin Wiley of Odessa. "So why wouldn't we want more of that? Why wouldn't we want to help save lives?"