BRYAN, Texas — The two mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York have a lot of Texans discussing the current gun laws in Texas.
The Republican Party of Texas held its annual Texas State Republican Convention from June 16 to 18. Where they discussed their new platform including what they think about creating new gun laws.
The Texas GOP convention’s website listed their legislative priorities, such as protecting the electric grid, eliminating property tax, and defending gun rights.
Pete Sessions, Republican Congressman, believes focusing on mental health would be a solution to gun control.
“We believe that would be the best application to begin a focus on mental health,” said Sessions.
Brazos County Democratic Party Chair, Amy Algae, said “I think we need to pressure our lawmakers”.
The Republican Party of Texas is listed in its Legislative Priorities. The website listed the topic under Defend our Gun Rights.
The subject line read:
Defend our Gun Rights Protect our gun rights against threats, such as red flag laws, federal, state, or other restrictions, by strengthening and preserving our inalienable rights under the second amendment to protect our life, liberty, and property.
"We tend to believe that republicans, conservation republicans that if a law needs to be made especially where it deals with the second amendment it can best be handled by Texas law," Sessions said. “It's gonna be the opposite with the democratic convention. We believe that our strength is in diversity and inclusion and that's gonna come across I believe in our platforms."
Both Algae and Sessions feel their political parties are pushing people to look more to lawmakers for change. Sessions attended the convention, weighing in on the benefits of the bipartisan gun bill introduced by Senator John Cornyn.
“Enact some change. A good start would be with this bipartisan gun law. It takes a lot these days to work bipartisan you know, with all the divides. I appreciate him stepping in and working to try and get at least a modest gun law in effect., said Algae.
Algae and Sessions both agreed on the idea of the bill and appreciated the efforts by Cornyn.
The Texas Democratic Party will host their 2022 Texas Democratic convention in Dallas on July 14 - 16, 2022, for more information visit their website.
