GOP-controlled Texas Legislature fails to prevent gun violence
Picture is from a visit Senator Gutierrez made to Uvalde in the fall of 2022.
Austin, Texas – This evening, Senator Roland Gutierrez proposed an amendment onto HB 2454 to raise the age to purchase an assault style, semi-automatic rifle to 21. The life-saving amendment was killed by a point of order. Republican leadership in the Texas Senate has now joined Republican leadership in the Texas House to block the raise the age bill from having a vote.
Currently, it is against the law to sell a handgun to anyone under the age of 21. Semi-automatic rifles can still be purchased by those 18 years of age or older. The Raise the Age bill has bipartisan support in the Texas House and is popular among Texas voters according to a University of Texas poll taken earlier this month, with 76% of all voters in support, including 64% of Republicans.
“This is a cold hard fact – 19 beautiful babies and 2 amazing teachers would be alive today had this amendment been Texas law before May 24, 2022. Raising the age to 21 has the bipartisan support of Texans. It is a damn shame that this Legislature lacks the political courage to stop the killing of our kids. This powerful institution has failed,” Senator Roland Gutierrez stated.
“Uvalde families have shown amazing courage in spite of all that was done to destroy their spirit and keep Texans in harm’s way. It has been nearly a year since Uvalde and Texas Republicans have failed to act to keep semi-automatic rifles out of the hands of people under the age of 21. HB 2454 is a good bill that does some very important things, but it does not go far enough to keep guns out of the hands of killers like the shooters in Uvalde and Santa Fe. “
HB 2454 will make it illegal for an individual to acquire a firearm for another person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal and state law, also known as a “straw purchase”.
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Roland Gutierrez has served as the Texas State Senator for District 19 since 2021, previously serving six terms as a member of the Texas House of Representatives and two terms as a San Antonio City Councilman.
