'Raise the age' gun bill passes Texas committee after months of advocacy by Uvalde families

Source: USA Today

‘Raise the age’ gun bill passes Texas committee after months of advocacy by Uvalde families

Niki Griswold
USA TODAY NETWORK

Published 3:05 p.m. ET May 8, 2023 | Updated 5:51 a.m. ET May 9, 2023

In a shocking and last-minute turn of events in Texas, a bill that would raise the minimum age to purchase AR-15 style semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 passed out of a House committee Monday, advancing the measure hours before a key deadline.

Several Uvalde victims' relatives burst into sobs and cheers in the Capitol hearing room when two Republicans joined all the Democrats on the committee to advance the bill by an 8-5 vote.

“I'm feeling very overwhelmed, very emotional,” Kimberly Garcia said through tears after the committee vote. Her 10-year-old daughter, Amerie Jo Garza, was one of the 19 fourth graders and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24, 2022.

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Uvalde victims' relatives have been advocating for lawmakers to pass House Bill 2744 for months, coming to the Capitol nearly every week during the legislative session to demand its passage and even waiting more than 13 hours to testify in support of the bill in a committee hearing in April.

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Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/05/08/gun-bill-that-would-raise-age-to-purchase-ar-15-passes-texas-committee/70196402007/