Gun control

Lawmakers again reject assault-weapons ban as gun bills move to floors

Lawmakers in both chambers voted down an assault-style weapons ban Tuesday, the third such vote in the last week, even as they moved forward with a bill to impose restrictions on some gun sales and set up a program allowing trained teachers to carry firearms in the classroom.

Students and parents of victims of the Feb. 14 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland that left 17 dead gave testimony, with many choking back sobs. They urged lawmakers to approve the assault weapons ban and remove the “marshal” program to arm teachers.

“No matter how much practice you have, it’s not anything compared to the real thing,” said Annabel Claprood, 16, a student at Stoneman Douglas. “I’ve done drills, but I did not have the feelings that I felt sitting on the floor because there was a mass shooter two seconds away from me.”