El Paso state lawmaker working on “red flag” gun law

ABC-7 confirmed that an El Paso state lawmaker is working on once again trying to introduce a so-called “red flag” gun law in Texas.

Sen. Jose Rodriguez, (D) El Paso, told ABC-7 in an email that he has tried to pass a law allowing “extreme risk protective orders” since the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT in 2012.

Extreme risk protective orders are issued by courts and are often spawned after families ask for law enforcement to take weapons away from an unstable person.

Rodriguez said his bill was not given a hearing in the past three legislative sessions.

But since President Trump said in March that he wants states to adopt those types of protective measures, Rodriguez told ABC-7 that he is looking to introduce the bill during the next legislative session in January of 2019.

“It’s my hope that we can have a frank discussion and move forward with smart solutions like Lethal Violence Protective Orders that narrowly target dangerous individuals while protecting responsible gun owners’ rights,” Rodriguez said. “Texans, especially our children, deserve to be safe.”

The first day of the Texas legislative session is Jan. 8.