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O'Rourke says he's focused on consensus with potential gun legislation

By
Jack Fink
Jack Fink
Jack Fink covers politics for KTVT-TV CBS 11 and has been with the station since September 2003.
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Jack Fink

/ CBS Texas

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Speaking before hundreds of supporters at a town hall in Dallas on Wednesday, Democratic candidate for governor Beto O'Rourke outlined proposals he hopes will prevent another deadly mass shooting like the one in Uvalde last week. 

"You cannot address gun violence without addressing guns."

O'Rourke said he wants to start with potential gun legislation where there's common ground.

That includes universal background checks, safe storage laws, and red-flag laws, aimed at keeping people with mental health problems from gaining access to guns.

"I don't think we should have AR-15's and AK-47's in our lives. Leave that on the battlefield. That's where it belongs."

At a news conference afterwards, O'Rourke said he knows removing those weapons will be harder to achieve, but worth doing.

When asked whether removing would be voluntary, O'Rourke said, "I think we can probably get to a consensus that something that stops the sale of AR-15's and AK-47's. I think we're going to have to be creative on how we get these out of the streets and civilian ownership."

He said that may include voluntary buybacks.

Hours before O'Rourke's town hall, the man he hopes to defeat, Governor Greg Abbott took actions of his own.

Abbott sent a letter to the director of the Texas School Safety Center, telling her to immediately conduct comprehensive school safety reviews to make sure proper procedures are being followed at all public schools to maximize safety.   

"I am charging the TxSSC, in coordination with the TEA, to develop and implement a plan to conduct random inspections to assess access control measures of Texas school districts. Among other reviews, your team should begin conducting in-person, unannounced, random intruder detection audits on school districts." 

He said he wants a progress report of findings sent to him and the Texas legislature by October 1.

Abbott also sent a joint letter to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, requesting they each convene a special legislative committee.     

Abbott said he wants these committees to make recommendations to prevent future school shootings when it comes to school safety, mental health, social media, police training, and firearm safety.

He said, "As Texans mourn the tragedy that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last week, we as a state must reassess the twin issues of school safety and mass violence."

While Abbott said the process should begin immediately, he did not provide any indication whether he will call lawmakers back for a special legislative session.

Back in Dallas, O'Rourke told supporters his bottom line is finding consensus. 

"If we're willing to look for that common ground, if we're open to consensus, and I know it is an ugly word for a lot of people right now, but even compromise, even not getting everything, we want, so we can get something better than what we have, then there's no stopping us."

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