Texas House passes bill to legalize short-barrel firearms
The Texas House has passed a bill that expands the types of firearms legally allowed in the state.
What we know:
Texas lawmakers wrapped up their session around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday after passing Senate Bill 1596.
The bill would decriminalize short-barrel firearms and remove them from the state’s list of illegal weapons, according to the Texas Legislature.
These firearms are already legal under federal law with a background check and a $200 fee.
SB 1596 heads to Governor Abbott's desk
What's next:
SB 1596 now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, where he will decide whether to sign it into law.
What is a short-barrel firearm?
Short-barrel firearms are commonly referred to as "sawed-off" shotguns.
Federal law defines them as rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches or shotguns with barrels shorter than 18 inches.
These weapons are known for their wide projectile spread, which can cause significant damage at close range.
Short-barrel firearm used in 2018 school shooting
The other side:
A short-barrel firearm was allegedly used in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, where police say a 17-year-old student killed eight classmates and two teachers and injured 13 others.
It remains the eighth-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.
Democratic lawmakers are raising concerns, arguing the bill could endanger children in Texas.
What they're saying:
"We just don't have that kind of gangland-style shooting these days with short-barrel firearms," said Rep. Richard Hayes, R-Hickory Creek.
"We have shootings that vastly exceed what we once had … we've never had a greater epidemic of constant shootings than we have today," said Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas.
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