How Nebraska lawmakers responded to questions regarding mental health, guns

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — An Illinois lawmaker was among the many crowd throughout Monday’s Highland Park taking pictures. He issued a problem to voters throughout the nation: to name lawmakers and ask about gun rights and high-capacity magazines.

Illinois State Rep. Bob Morgan additionally urged folks to ask about psychological well being funding and the way that assistance will get to communities that want it most.

“Folks wish to know what are you able to do, name your native elected officers, at present, this morning. Ask them two questions, one: why is an assault rifle or high-capacity ammunition — why is that extra priceless and have extra rights than my life, than my youngsters’s lives? That is one query. See what they are saying and observe up and have a dialog and dialog. Query two: what are you going to do to extend funding for psychological well being?” Morgan stated.

3 Information Now introduced these inquiries to Nebraska’s lawmakers.

“It would not take, uh you understand, somebody who’s simply sensible in constitutional regulation or in simply methods to handle our Nebraska children and residents and our folks to know that there must be some cheap regulation,” stated State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks and candidate for the first Congressional District, throughout a Zoom name.

She stated that to her, that doesn’t imply taking away folks’s weapons.

“I’m not certain what giving an 18-year-old an AR-15 has to do with a well-regulated militia which is a part of the Second Modification,” Pansing Brooks stated.

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, who’s working once more within the 2nd Congressional District, was requested the identical query as Pansing Brooks.

“It breaks my coronary heart, we had six folks misplaced in Chicago, I feel 21 in Texas, each one is dangerous, however we gotta do not forget that 99 p.c of the persons are law-abiding folks,” Bacon stated.

He went on to consult with the Supreme Court docket.

“I simply need folks to consider this logically, proper, do you intend to eliminate all semi-automatic rifles, ultimately the Supreme Court docket has typically dominated that the protection of the law-abiding individuals have these rights,” Bacon stated.

Each had been additionally requested about psychological well being in Nebraska.

Pansing Brooks stated it begins with funding.

“Now we have acquired to complement these suppliers and provides them the assistance they should assist our Nebraska residents who’re in true want,” Pansing Brooks stated, including that she’s going to work with anybody throughout the aisle.

Bacon stated the main target ought to be on psychological well being and never essentially weapons.

“I’m for increasing psychological well being in our public faculties, our youngsters’s hospitals, our neighborhood well being facilities, I assist Medicaid funding for psychological well being, a few of that cash would assist out children which might be struggling,” Bacon stated.

3 Information Now additionally spoke to Nebraska State Sen. Mike Flood, who will formally fill the first Congressional District seat on Tuesday and goals to retain it for a full time period in November’s election. Flood despatched a basic assertion through e mail, however didn’t reply with solutions to those particular questions.

Flood’s assertion reads in full:

“Mandi and I are holding the neighborhood of Highland Park and all these impacted in our prayers. Tragedies like this reinforce the significance of a well-resourced, proactive psychological healthcare system that may establish threats and intervene with troubled folks earlier than they damage others. I am proud to have been part of efforts within the Legislature to reinforce psychological well being therapy throughout the state, however we all know now we have much more work to do. I sit up for working with regulation enforcement and native leaders to assist present higher instruments and extra sources to satisfy this problem, as a result of public security will all the time be my high precedence. Infringing on the rights of law-abiding gun homeowners and enjoying politics will not resolve something. We have to work collectively towards precise options to maintain folks protected.”

Within the gubernatorial race, Republican candidate Jim Pillen gave a basic assertion through textual content message, however no response to the precise questions posed to the opposite candidates..

Pillen’s assertion reads in full:

“Our hearts break for the victims of the tragedy in Highland Park, Illinois. There are hardly ever straightforward solutions, however as regulation enforcement continues to research, I hope each neighborhood in our state is taking the time to evaluate its method to figuring out doubtlessly violent, troubled folks and appearing to maintain the general public protected. We have to additional increase capability in our psychological and behavioral healthcare techniques. Our state has made a number of progress, however we all know there are nonetheless challenges we have to deal with.”

State Sen. Carol Blood, who’s working in opposition to Pillen because the Democratic candidate within the gubernatorial race, responded however stated she’s tied up with a household emergency.

Tony Vargas, the Democratic candidate working in opposition to Bacon, didn’t reply to three Information Now.

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