Parent Of Stoneman Douglas Victim On Fight For Gun Bill: "I Took It Personally"
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PARKLAND (CBSMiami) – While Florida Governor Rick Scott signed sweeping gun reform into law on Friday, one of the architects of the bill says his work is just beginning.
Andrew Pollack, who stood next to the governor as he signed the bill, said, "I was fighting for all the families. I took it personally."
Pollack's 18-year-old daughter Meadow was shot nine times and was one of seventeen students and staff killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on February 14th.
While deeply grieving his daughter's loss, Pollack has been a relentless voice for change, to make schools safer.
Back at his home in Coral Springs on Monday, Pollack spoke to CBS4 and said what Florida lawmakers passed can be a blueprint for change in other states.
He says he intends to lobby governors all across the country to implement similar reforms.
"I feel we achieved something," he says
While the Stoneman Douglas Safety act raises the gun purchasing age to 21 and imposes a three day waiting period, Pollack points to other provisions in the law he says will be a game changer.
The new law broadens the ability of law enforcement to take guns away from troubled individuals.
It also expands mental health services and allows experts to zero in on possible threats.
The act also creates the Aaron Feis guardian program, named after the Stoneman Douglas coach who died protecting students from gunfire.
The guardian program voluntarily allows a school staff member to be armed and ready after undergoing extensive training.
All this, Pollack says, would have prevented accused shooter Nikolas Cruz from carrying out his rampage
"They can hire retired law enforcement and send them to a month of training," he said. "I look at it as a positive so no one has to go through what I've been through"
Pollack, who met twice with President Trump in the days following the mass shooting in February, says the President really listened to his concerns.
He says he supports any Federal regulation that will make schools safer.
While some Douglas survivors say the Safety Act doesn't go far enough and they want to focus on gun control measures like banning assault rifles, Pollack says that should be a fight for the future.
"I understand their pain but I feel we should fix schools first" he says.
Pollack is also working on building a park that will be named after his daughter.
If you would like to help with those efforts, more information can be found at www.remembermeadow.com.
There will be a fundraiser on March 31st with a ride from the Harley Davidson store in West Palm Beach to Coral Springs.