Firearm safety bill filed in Texas after 'Rust' set shooting, charges

Texas State Representative Sheryl Cole filed Texas House Bill 1471 Thursday, relating to eligibility requirements for moving image projects involving a firearm.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Texas lawmaker has filed a bill to increase TV and film set safety when it comes to handling firearms in the wake of the 'Rust' set shooting.

Involuntary manslaughter charges came down this week for Alec Baldwin and weapons specialist Hannah Gutierrez-Reed over a year after the fatality on the western movie set. It happened Oct. 21, 2021, when a gun Baldwin was holding went off, hitting Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Hutchins died as a result.

Texas State Representative Sheryl Cole filed Texas House Bill 1471 Thursday, relating to eligibility requirements for moving image projects involving a firearm.

"What happened on the 'Rust' movie set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, over a year ago was an unimaginable tragedy that resulted in the loss of life for Halyna Hutchins," Cole said in a statement. "As time has passed on, it's become clear that there were many avoidable missteps that happened for this to occur, and it became crucial that we make sure this doesn't happen in Texas."

According to the text of the bill, HB 1471 would make it a requirement for anyone who handles a firearm on a film/TV production set to complete the Hunter Education Course or an equivalent firearm education program.

According to a release, HB 1471 makes it a requirement for anybody handling a firearm on a film/TV production set is required to either complete the Hunter Education Course or that they have an up-to-date certificate of completion of the course.

This would apply to any film/TV production that receives tax breaks through the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP).

Gun safety has been a hot topic for years, but the discussion has increased since the incident on set and continues to be amplified in the wake of mass shootings like the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde last May.