A Texas senator has accused Governor Greg Abbott (right) on Wednesday of trying to “make” Texans “think we’re actually going to do something” after a shooting at a primary school in Uwalde, Texas, that killed 21 people last month .
In an interview with CNN, host Wolf Blitzer asked Texas Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D) to respond to Abbott’s announcement earlier in the day that he had asked the vice governor and president of the Texas Chamber to convene special legislative committees focused on school safety, mental health, social media, police training and firearms safety.
Gutierrez, whose district includes Uwalde, said the call for commissions, like similar actions following previous mass shootings in the state, would not lead to meaningful reform, adding that there was no process for convening special commissions unless the governor convened a special session. .
“I think he tried to trick this community into thinking we were actually going to do something,” the senator told Abbott. “He did it – it’s the same deal he did after Santa Fe and El Paso and Sutherland Springs, roundtables, recommendations and nothing led to any meaningful legislation.
“The only thing that can get us into this building is a special session convened for a secure date that only he can call,” he added.
Gutierrez’s remarks come about a week after a shooting at Rob Elementary School in Uwalde killed 19 children and two adults.
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The shooting renewed calls for arms reform legislation, and Texas Democrats and some Republicans called for a special session after the shooting that would allow the state legislature to change, remove or add new laws, according to KSAT 12.
The abbot is the only employee who can convene a special session, as the state legislature only works once every five months every five months, the ABC affiliate said.
The Hill turned to Abbott’s office for comment.
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