Texas Senate Democrats call for special session to raise age to purchase gun, require universal back

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The Texas legislature only meets every two years for a set number of days. The Governor can call a special session at any time and in fact Greg called three special sessions to suppress voting rights. We need a special session to address the safety of our children. I am glad that the Texas Democrats are calling for a special session

Link to tweet

https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/28/texas-senate-democrats-special-session-uvalde/?utm_campaign=trib-social&utm_content=1653755999&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus is urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call an emergency special legislative session to consider a variety of gun restrictions and safety measures in the wake of a mass school shooting in Uvalde that left 19 children and two adults dead this week.

In a letter released Saturday morning, all 13 Senate Democrats demanded lawmakers pass legislation that raises the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21 years old. The Uvalde gunman was 18 and had purchased two AR-style rifles which he used in the attack.

The caucus is also calling for universal background checks for all firearm sales, “red flag” laws that allow a judge to temporarily remove firearms from people who are considered an imminent threat to themselves or others, a “cooling off period” for the purchase of a firearm and regulations on high capacity magazines for citizens.

“Texas has suffered more mass shootings over the past decade than any other state. In Sutherland Springs, 26 people died. At Santa Fe High School outside Houston, 10 people died. In El Paso, 23 people died at a Walmart. Seven people died in Midland-Odessa,” the letter reads. “After each of these mass killings, you have held press conferences and roundtables promising things would change. After the slaughter of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, those broken promises have never rung more hollow. The time to take real action is now.”

Such laws are unlikely to gain traction in the Republican-controlled Legislature, which has a track record of favoring legislation that loosens gun restrictions. Only the governor has the power to call lawmakers back into a special session for emergency work.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Damn right! They are way overdue for these basic measures. n/t

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. Texans of all political stripes are demanding action and common-sense reform.

Link to tweet

[WarGamer]

3. Like the California 21 year regulation that was just trashed by the Courts?

[NightWatcher]

4. the pro-lifers wont allow it

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. Lina Hidalgo- If Greg Abbott can call three special sessions to keep people from voting...

Link to tweet