Florida Senate approves assault weapon ban, upturns it 15 mins later

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Florida's Senate appeared to have approved a two-year ban on AR-15-style rifles over the weekend, but a roll-call vote overturned it minutes later, U.S. media reported.

On Saturday, a two-year moratorium on the sale, delivery and transfer of AR-15-style rifles seemed to have been passed by voice vote, but then reversed by a roll-call vote of 21-17. Every member who voted against were Republicans.

Democrats had introduced the short-term ban as an amendment to a Republican-led bill on gun reforms, which includes strengthening background checks and measures to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

The debacle triggered heated discussions on social media, with many criticizing Florida lawmakers for not being effective on gun control. A Twitter user with the handle TinaMorphis represented the outrage, tweeting, " To me it's more than just a minor sign that those in that legislature need to be replaced... If they cannot put children first, then they must go."

An assault-style rifle was used to kill 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, last month. The mass shooting triggered wide public discussions on stricter gun control.

Subsequently, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he was open to raising the minimum age to buy some kinds of guns and tightening background checks. He also proposed to arm teachers, a comment which provoked a strong backlash. Enditem