The next is a transcript of an interview with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson that aired on Sunday, Could 29, 2022 on “Face the Nation.” The complete interview transcript will be discovered under.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who joins us from Little Rock. Good morning to you, Governor.

GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON: Hello, good morning, Margaret.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And we have spoken earlier than about this as a result of after Sandy Hook and the bloodbath in Connecticut, you ran the NRA Job Power and how you can cease faculty shootings. So you have thought so much about this. There was an armed officer assigned to the elementary faculty in Uvalde. And then you definately had a police power response, the place they didn’t confront the shooter who was carrying an AR-15. In Buffalo, the armed guard who was at that grocery retailer confronted the shooter, however was killed, in Parkland, Florida, there was an armed officer on website who didn’t intervene. Does not this present that that is an inadequate answer to the issue?

GOV. HUTCHINSON: Nicely, it actually reveals that it’s important to have a number of layers of safety to guard the kids. And there is additionally the issue of human error. And that is the rationale that you have to have totally different layers, you’ll be able to’t depend on only one approach. College Security is one thing that all of us need to concentrate on popping out of the unimaginable tragedy that we see in Uvalde, we’ve got to take a look at how we will higher safe our colleges. And it’s concerning the single level of entry that by blocking it open allowed the gunman to return in, it’s concerning the psychological well being points the place we have to do higher to establish these which might be doubtlessly a mass killer. You have to have our non-public sector, web suppliers to do higher in utilizing expertise to establish these sorts of harmful violent communications a lot faster. After which after all, we’ve got to have the ability to practice our officers correctly. I do know we’re gonna need to study much more information as to a few of the issues that occurred in Uvalde. Let’s be affected person, let’s study from them. However we won’t surrender on our most valuable useful resource in defending our youngsters.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I believe lots of people would agree with lots of the stuff you simply stated, however then they’d ask why cannot we speak concerning the weapon. I perceive lots of people might need a lengthy gun to go searching. However then there’s this AR-15 model weapon, semi computerized not that good for searching. The bullets journey thrice the velocity of sound, they actually blow our bodies aside. That is what was utilized in Buffalo, it was utilized in Sandy Hook, it was utilized in Uvalde. Why not increase the minimal age of buy to 21 from 18?

GOV. HUTCHINSON: Nicely, you have seen some states truly do this. Proper. And you have seen it in Florida, you have seen it in California and California, the restriction was held as unconstitutional. So there are some constitutional challenges to that. Finally, I believe the Supreme Courtroom goes to offer us steering on it. However you take a look at AR-15–, 

MARGARET BRENNAN: however you’d endorse that? 

GOV. HUTCHINSON: –each has to have– No, I wish to give slightly bit extra historical past, AR-15s have been round for 40 years earlier than they have been ever utilized in any sort of mass killing or assault. And so it’s concerning the human coronary heart, it’s about figuring out the culprits and going after them. And I believe it’s a dialogue you’ll be able to have. I come down on the purpose that that is not going to be the answer. And it may trigger extra hurt than good. In Arkansas, for instance, as you identified of the lengthy rifles, we distinguish these and people you’ll be able to purchase at 18. As a result of we hunt with these, we it is a tradition that we begin after we’re 14 or 15 right here in Arkansas. And in order that’s necessary a part of it, and it is a step to go to the AR-15s and the way you draft legal guidelines that might distinguish these, that’ll be part of the dialogue, I come down. I do not suppose that is an answer. And we should not concentrate on that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: However the gunman in Texas and in New York legally bought these AR-15s. They did not set off any form of concern as a result of they did not have psychological well being points that have been on report. They did not have legal background checks. Are you saying that it was their authorized proper and will stay the authorized proper of anybody like them to go in and purchase an AR 15?

Nicely, an AR-15 is a semi computerized weapon identical to , you may have a semi computerized pistol, it takes a pull of the set off on every a kind of. We must outlaw the bump shares and methods you could convert that from a semi computerized to an computerized weapon. That’s necessary to differentiate these two. It’s an AR-15 model weapon that has been used currently however once more for 40 years it wasn’t and so why is that this taking place? I believe it is copycats. However are we actually going after the guts of the issue? Are we going after what we see is the newest pattern? And I believe it is extra necessary to guard the faculties spend money on that. Let’s do issues– 

MARGARET BRENNAN: why-why does it need to be both or? 

GOV. HUTCHINSON: –that we will agree upon now and I believe that– 

MARGARET BRENNAN: why does it need to be both or–

GOV. HUTCHINSON: It does not need to be both or– 

MARGARET BRENNAN: –as a result of I believe folks do wish to take a look at all these different stuff you rattled off, like psychological well being, like faculty safety, let me ask if it is one thing particular than the shooter went into that room, that elementary faculty and Uvalde with 660 rounds of ammunition, and that AR-15 model weapon, that is greater than thrice what a US soldier carries into fight, ought to a purchase order of ammunition of that dimension, set off an alarm bell someplace, ought to there be some form of screening or restrict on excessive capability magazines? Like what authorized justification? Ought to there be for an 18 yr previous to go in and purchase that form of ammunition?

GOV. HUTCHINSON: It units off every kind of alarm bells. Let me emphasize the purpose. You are able to do both or you’ll be able to’t have the dialog about each. I believe the senators which might be coming collectively in a bipartisan option to discuss what we will agree upon is necessary. I’ve communicated with a variety of governors. I wish to see an analogous bipartisan working group of governors, Democrats and Republicans, seeing what’s it we will agree upon? That we will handle this and study from this? So sure, and everytime you’re wanting on the alarm bells, everytime you’re taking a look at these very odd purchases, any individual simply turned 18. One thing has to set off an alarm bell, any individual says let’s alert regulation enforcement to this. It is a concern. I do suppose we have to take a look at these sort of triggers that may alert regulation enforcement.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, we are going to take a look at limits on excessive capability magazines and the potential for what you simply laid out. Governor, thanks on your time this morning, Face the Nation. I will be again in a minute so stick with us.