Greater than a dozen mayors representing Texas’ largest cities — together with liberals and conservatives alike — requested Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday to name a particular session and usher in laws that might deal with weapons and psychological well being.
“We symbolize a continuum of political ideology and have come collectively as a result of we all know most Texans have a robust need for widespread sense reform to guard our youngsters,” the letter mentioned. “As mayors, we consider the legislature and govt leaders can come collectively to search out the appropriate options for Texas.”
It cites 5 particular insurance policies the mayors need addressed, together with requiring a common background examine for gun purchases; growing the age restrict to 21 to purchase semi-automatic rifles; passing red-flag legal guidelines; growing mental-health help funding; and growing coaching for varsity useful resource officers.
These reforms, the mayors wrote, “would have prevented the shooters in El Paso and Uvalde from acquiring their weapons.” The Uvalde gunman legally purchased his semi-automatic rifle shortly after his 18th birthday, and the mom of the El Paso shooter had known as police with considerations about him proudly owning a rifle earlier than the 2019 Walmart bloodbath.
“Households are asking us what number of extra shootings should occur earlier than we act,” the letter mentioned. “The communities of Uvalde, El Paso, Santa Fe, and Sutherland Springs deserve higher. In response to mass shootings — Florida handed purple flag legal guidelines, and we will do the identical right here in Texas.”
The signatories embody Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, Fort Value Mayor Mattie Parker, Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen and Plano Mayor John Muns.
The letter is important due to its bipartisanship: Whereas they maintain nonpartisan places of work, each Parker and Muns have described themselves as conservative Republicans.
“Defending the 2nd Modification means passing accountable insurance policies {that a} broad majority of law-abiding gun homeowners help,” the mayors wrote. “We can’t stand idly by whereas extra of our fellow Texans, typically our youngsters and legislation enforcement officers, are laid to relaxation as the results of one other preventable capturing.”