Texas House Committee Votes To Raise The Age To Buy Semi-Automatic Rifles

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In a surprise move on Monday, the Texas House Select Committee on Community Safety voted 8-5 on a bill that would raise the age to buy certain semi-automatic rifles from 18-years old to 21 years old. It's a bill that stood very little change of passing out of committee, but after the mass shooting in Allen, Texas over the weekend, one committed by a shooter who was 33 years old, the legislation received more attention.

Two Republicans, Representative Sam Harless and Justin Holland joined with Democrats on the committee to advance the bill to the House. Earlier in the day, the Committee Chair, Representative Ryan Guillen said he would not hold a vote on the legislation due to lack of support. Several family members of the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting along with other anti-second amendment activists rallied at the Texas Capitol in support of the bill. Many in the media connected passage of the bill out of committee to the shooting in Allen, Texas. Though it should be noted that the shooter in Allen was 33 and would not have been impacted by the legislation passed out of committee.

Representative Dustin Burrows was one of the Republicans who voted against HB 2744 and is the Chairman of the Calendars committee. His committee will decide if and when HB 2744 is heard before the full House.

It will be an uphill climb for those who support the legislation. The Senate has taken no action on a similar bill in the Texas Senate, meanwhile Governor Abbott has said it would be unconstitutional, and the House is still controlled by Republicans and it's doubtful that many would join with Democrats in supporting the legislation.