TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida)- Roughly 100 students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School walked the halls of the State Capitol Wednesday, imploring lawmakers to enact stricter gun laws and increase mental health funding.
The students met with more than 70 legislators on Wednesday pleading with them to take swift action to prevent another tragedy like the one that left 17 people, including 14 teenagers, dead, one week ago in Broward county.
Among others, the students met with House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron Wednesday morning.
They were also scheduled to meet with Governor Rick Scott later Wednesday afternoon.
During his meeting with students, Negron became emotional talking about attending the funeral of one student Tuesday.
He says the students' time in Tallahassee are not in vain.
"We appreciate you taking the time to be at the capitol, and to share your perspective on an appropriate legislative response to not only this terrible tragedy, but also other tragedies that have occured," Negron said.
During a Wednesday news conference held by the students, their reaction was mixed.
Lorenzo Prado, a junior at Stoneman Douglas High School, says significant changes are needed, not just something small to make the students feel good.
"The laws of our beloved country allowed for the deranged gunman to purchase a gun legally," Prado said. "The law has failed us, and let the events that happened in Parkland occur."
Happening at the same time as students spoke inside the State Capitol, other proponents of gun-control and stricter school-safety laws held a rally that included one of the largest crowds to gather outside the capitol since the 2000 recount.
