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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 27 May 2022

Continued from Front Bayer, whose district in- in some other states, most
After Tuesday's massacre cludes a high school where legislative action around
at Robb Elementary School a teenager was charged in gun control in recent years
in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 a shooting that killed four has been in states led by
students and two teachers in November and whose Democrats.
dead, Democratic gover- parents are charged with In Washington state, the
nors and lawmakers across involuntary manslaughter, governor earlier this year
the country issued impas- accused of failing to lock signed a package of bills
sioned pleas for Congress up their gun. related to firearm maga-
and their own legislatures Republican state Sen. Ken zine limits, ghost guns and
to pass gun restrictions. Horn responded by urging adding more locations
Republicans have mostly discussion about other po- where guns are prohibited,
called for more efforts to tential causes of gun vio- including ballot counting
address mental health and lence. sites.
to shore up protections at "I would just point out that In California, Gov. Gavin
schools, such as adding se- there are political solutions, Newsom and top Demo-
curity guards. but there are just as many cratic legislative leaders
Among them is Texas Gov. In this image from Senate Television, Senate Minority Lead- spiritual solutions," he said. on Wednesday vowed to
Greg Abbott, who has re- er Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, speaks on the Senate floor, "We don't know what's re- fast-track gun legislation,
peatedly talked about Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at the Capitol in Washington. ally happening in this world, identifying about a dozen
mental health struggles Associated Press what's happening in this bills they plan to pass this
among young people and country, what's happening year. Newsom highlighted
said tougher gun laws in bills be taken up again, to Rep. Terry Roy said voters to young men." a bill that would let private
places like New York and no avail. Instead, state As- don't want further gun con- Florida stands out as a Re- citizens enforce a ban on
California are ineffective. In sembly Speaker Robin Vos, trol: "We should not ever, publican-controlled state assault weapons by filing
Tennessee, GOP Rep. Jer- a Republican, told The As- ever use tragedy to push that took action. The 2018 lawsuits – similar to a law in
emy Faison tweeted that sociated Press on Thursday legislation," he said. shooting at a high school Texas that bans most abor-
the state needs to have that he is open to the idea An effort on Wednesday by in Parkland that left 14 stu- tions through civil enforce-
security officers "in all of of arming teachers to bet- Democratic lawmakers in dents and three staff mem- ment.
our schools," but stopped ter protect schools, along Pennsylvania's GOP-con- bers dead prompted law- Oregon's Democratically
short of promising to intro- with adding police and trolled Legislature to ban makers there to pass a law controlled Legislature has
duce legislation during next armed security guards. owning, selling or making with a red flag provision passed bills that require
year's legislative session. In New Hampshire, the high-capacity, semi-auto- that lets law enforcement background checks, pro-
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers Republican-led House on matic firearms also failed, officers petition a court to hibit guns on public school
has called for universal Thursday rejected an effort as House Republicans dis- confiscate guns from a per- grounds, allow firearms to
background checks and to reintroduce legislation played their firm opposition son considered a threat. be taken from those who
"red flag" laws, only to be that would have required to gun restrictions. Democrats want that ex- pose a risk and ensure safe
ignored by the Republican- criminal background The situation is similar in panded to allow family storage of firearms. On
controlled Legislature. checks for commercial fire- Michigan, where Repub- members or roommates to Wednesday, a group of six
"We cannot accept that arms sales. licans have majorities in make the same request of Democrats pledged addi-
gun violence just happens," Democratic state Rep. the Legislature. Democrats the courts, but there has tional action after the mass
Evers said in a tweet after Debra Altschiller said there in the state Senate were been little appetite among shooting in Texas and the
the Texas school shooting. have been dozens of mass thwarted Wednesday in Republicans to amend the racially motivated massa-
"We cannot accept that shootings nationwide since their efforts to advance a law. cre in Buffalo, New York.
kids might go to school and the bill was defeated in group of bills that would Instead, Republican Gov. "We ran for office to solve
never come home. We March. have required gun own- Ron DeSantis said he wants big problems and make life
cannot accept the outright "We can make a change ers to lock up their firearms lawmakers to allow people better for our constituents
refusal of elected officials so we don't have to live like and keep them away from to carry handguns without — and that includes tak-
to act." this," she said, her remarks minors. a permit. The state current- ing on the gun lobby and
On Wednesday, a day af- met by boos from some of "Every day we don't take ly requires a concealed politicians that place prof-
ter the shooting, legisla- her colleagues. action, we are choosing weapons license. its and political power over
tive Democrats asked that Their jeering turned to ap- guns over children," said While Republicans have children's lives," they said in
the Wisconsin gun safety plause when Republican Democratic Sen. Rosemary supported red flag laws a joint statement.q