Legislation to be Heard to Raise the Age of Purchase

• What: Community Safety Committee hears key firearms bills
• Where: Texas House Members Lounge, E2.1002
• When: Tuesday, April 18th, 8:30 a.m. 
• Who: Survivors from Uvalde and Santa Fe, Advocates, and Elected Officials

On Tuesday, April 18th at 9 a.m., the House Select Committee on Community Safety will hear key gun safety bills, including HB 2744 by Representative Tracy King of Uvalde that would raise the age to 21 to purchase semi-automatic rifles like that used to kill 19 children and two educators at Robb Elementary School last May. 

The Committee will also hear HB 236 to improve background checks and HB 4472 to expand safe gun storage education. Texas Gun Sense supports these proven measures to prevent gun deaths and injuries.

“Evidence has shown that states in which the minimum purchase age is 18 see more gun deaths,” said Nicole Golden, Texas Gun Sense Executive Director. “In Texas, you must be 21 to purchase a handgun but can purchase rifles like AR-15’s at 18. As we have witnessed in the Sutherland Springs, El Paso, Uvalde, and Midland-Odessa shootings, semi-automatic rifles often make mass shootings deadlier. We know that creating stronger vetting requirements to purchase semi-automatic rifles like AR-15s is a necessary step for making Texas safer, and we stand with Uvalde in supporting HB 2744 to raise the minimum purchase age to 21.” 

Texas Gun Sense advocates to prevent gun violence and other gun tragedies through education, partnerships, and policy change. Learn more at txgunsense.org. 

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