Following the tragic Uvalde massacre last week, where 19 school children and two teachers were murdered in their classroom by a deeply disturbed 18-year-old man, some Republican state lawmakers are joining Democrat calls for a special session of the Texas Legislature.

A special session, which can last up to 30 days, can only be called by the governor and on topics of his choosing.

Texas Democrats are demanding a special session to enact “evidence-based, common sense gun safety laws.”

Their demands include the following: “Raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21; Require universal background checks for all firearm sales; Implement ‘red flag’ laws to allow the temporary removal of firearms from those who are an imminent danger to themselves or others; Require a ‘cooling off’ period for the purchase of a firearm; and Regulate civilian ownership of high capacity magazines.”

In the wake of the shooting, State Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Allen) has also called for a special session where lawmakers can converse, deliberate, debate, and decide. However, Leach never said what legislators will be deciding.

Meanwhile, GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi says a special session is a “terrible idea” at this time.

Leach responded to Rinaldi’s comment, saying, “Says the guy who worked so hard – along with me and others – to call for a special session to protect girls in public school bathrooms in 2017. A special was right then & it’s right now.”

Rinaldi further explained his reasoning for not entering a special session, stating, “After El Paso, I had Republicans pushing me to support Red Flag laws & gun storage requirements that would solve nothing. I’ll pass on a 30 day Democrat fundraiser full of grandstanding and crying where the GOP plays defense & best case scenario is our rights stay intact.”

Unlike lawmakers calling for the special session, however, Rinaldi has suggested a course of action that is not anchored in stricter gun regulations but in securing schools.

State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) says a legislative session at this time is “futile,” as the investigation into the Uvalde massacre isn’t complete.

Outgoing State Sen. Kel Seliger (Amarillo), the most liberal Republican in the Texas Senate, is demanding that Gov. Greg Abbott call a special session for lawmakers to “do SOMETHING.”

Like Leach, Seliger did not specify what that “something” is.

“Bad Facts make Bad Law,” said State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston), reiterating that more information is needed from the investigation before any legislative action can or should be taken.

State Rep. Tom Oliverson (R–Cypress) echoed Bettencourt, stating, “Good policy comes from thoughtful examination of all the facts, not from emotional outbursts and snap judgements.” He then responded to another tweet exemplifying why emotion creates bad policy:

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) has called for discussion on the leading cause of school shooters—unstable families with absentee parents.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) echoed the need for this discussion, noting that “these are some of the things we need to address that have nothing to do with government and policy.”

As the community of Uvalde reckons with the tragedy unfolding around them and nearly an entire class of fourth-grade students who won’t return for fifth grade, it remains to be seen whether more Republican lawmakers will act rashly and join Democrats in restricting gun rights in the pursuit of being seen as “doing something.”

Sydnie Henry

A born and bred Texan, Sydnie serves as the Managing Editor for Texas Scorecard. She graduated from Patrick Henry College with a B.A. in Government and is utilizing her research and writing skills to spread truth to Texans.

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