Greg Abbott declined to commit to signing any new gun laws in response to the Uvalde school shooting, choosing instead to emphasize the role of mental health.
At a press conference in Uvalde, Abbott said there was no need to limit the purchase of assault weapons like the one used to kill 21 people at Robb Elementary School.
Ever since Texas became a state, an 18-year-old has been able to buy a long gun. It seems like it has only been in the past decade or two that we have had school shootings. Maybe we are focusing on the wrong thing.
There is a difference between a rifle used for hunting and a rapid-fire, semi-automatic weapon like the AR-15, which was subject to a federal ban between 1994 and 2004. People over the age of 21 are not allowed to purchase handguns in Texas.
Abbott did not support any new or enhanced background checks for gun purchases. He argued that the repeal of the law that allowed Texans to carry guns without a permit would not have prevented the massacre.
Abbott said that the law he signed did not allow him to get a gun.
Abbott said his focus at the upcoming legislative session would be on improving the state's mental health services and security policies at schools.
Do we expect laws to be made out of this crime? The answer is yes. There will be laws in multiple subject areas, and many of them will be passed in the state of Texas.
The status quo is unacceptable, this crime is unacceptable, and we are not going to be here and talking about and doing nothing about it.
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