TEXAS – Members of the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus renewed their pleas Monday for Governor Greg Abbott to call an emergency special session on gun violence in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting.
“We are 56 days away from the school year starting. We must take action to ensure another group of parents are not planning funerals instead of planning summer vacations or summer camps,” said State Senator Carol Alvarado, chair of the caucus, during a news conference in Austin.
Governor Abbott has called for special legislative committees to address school and gun safety.
But that’s not enough said State Senator Roland Gutierrez who represents Uvalde.
“We need to do something here. We can do common sense things. Simply doing nothing is as evil as it comes. Simply doing nothing and talking a good game and committee hearings and round tables is as pathetic as it gets,” he said.
The Democratic state senators want the chance to put to a vote a proposed bill that would raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21; require universal background checks for all firearm sales; implement red flag laws to allow for temporary removal of firearms from people who are an imminent danger to themselves or others, and require a 72 hour “cooling off” period for the purchase of certain firearms.
“We’re asking for a debate, a roll call. The people of Texas have the right to know where their individual senator and representative and the leadership of this state stands,” said State Senator John Whitmire.
A spokesperson for Governor Abbott issued the following statement to KPRC 2 News:
“The Governor has requested the Texas legislature work together on legislative recommendations to make schools safer, including considering school safety, mental health, firearm safety, police training, social media, and more, and the special legislative committees have already begun meeting and deliberating proposed solutions. These Senate Democrats should work with their colleagues, rather than holding press conferences to promote themselves.”