Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom criticized Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) on Wednesday after the tragic mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Abbott discussed the shooting and said that the shooter “has to have evil in his heart.” He also spoke about the mental health problems of many people in Texas while saying that those in power should try to improve safety at schools and mental health resources.
He specifically pointed to California when discussing gun legislation.
“There are ‘real’ gun laws in Chicago. There are ‘real’ gun laws in New York. There are ‘real’ gun laws in California,” Abbott said at a press conference at Uvalde High School. “I hate to say this, but there are more people who are shot every weekend in Chicago than there are in schools in Texas. We need to realize that people who think, ‘Well, maybe if we just implement tougher gun laws it’s going to solve it.’ Chicago and LA and New York disprove that thesis.”
At a press conference, Newsom called out the Texas governor, and told people not to “give in to the cynicism and all the crap you heard today in that press conference around evil and mental health, [which] completely belies the fact that there’s only one nation on planet Earth that separates itself from all other nations, and that’s the United States of America, in the perversion of a Second Amendment that begins around ‘well-regulated’ gun policy.”
He added, “We’ve completely lost our senses and lost touch with that reality, and we need to change that reality and we have the capacity to do so.”
“I wasn’t even going to bring him up. But Governor Abbott just name-checked the state of California. I would caution them from doing that,” Newsom said. He spoke about the gun mortality rate, saying it is higher in Abbott’s state than California, referencing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Just reflect on the seven laws that [Abbott] celebrated last year — 25 just in the last few decades — that have been rolled back,” Newsom said. “Common sense that’s been rolled back in the state of Texas alone as it relates to common-sense gun laws. It’s not a surprise, in many respects, what’s going on.”
Newsom also said he anticipates that Democrats in the California legislature will deliver “well over a dozen” gun bills by the end of next month.
According to CalMatters, some gun proposals going forward include legislation making school officials immediately report a “threat or perceived threat of an incident of mass casualties at a school” to law enforcement personnel, among other requirements. Another bill would prohibit state employees and others from selling firearms on state property, while another would require licensed firearm dealers to have certain surveillance and security equipment, training, and insurance. Another bill would block marketing or advertising “any firearm-related product, as defined” to those under the age of 18 who live in California.
The California Senate is already underway on Newsom’s promise, passing a measure on Tuesday based on Texas’ pro-life law regarding guns in the Golden State. SB 1327 allows for private citizens to sue those who make or sell specific illegal weapons, including ones that are not traceable, specific gun parts, and defined assault weapons.