In a rare move, Texas lawmakers hear more than a dozen firearm safety bills

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — In a rare move, a group of Texas lawmakers are hearing more than a dozen bills related to firearm safety in a committee hearing on Tuesday.

More than 100 people signed up to testify during the House Select Committee on Community Safety, including families members of victims from the Uvalde and Santa Fe school shootings.

Lawmakers will consider 18 different bills that all pertain to firearm safety and creating certain penalties for misuse of such weapons.

Several Uvalde families drove to Austin to testify in favor of House Bill 2744, which was written by their district's legislator, Rep. Tracy King, D-Batesville.

King's bill would make it a felony for a person to transfer a semi-automatic rifle to someone under the age of 21.

His bill is one of many that will likely face a steep climb toward passage in the Republican-controlled Legislature. In a February exclusive sit-down interview with Nexstar, Speaker of the House Dade Phelan reiterated that he does not believe his chamber would have the votes to support any age limit restrictions on firearms.

Over on the Senate side, another legislator who represents Uvalde has been a leading voice in calls for tighter gun restrictions. Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, held regular press conferences with the families to unveil more than a dozen bills he filed as a direct result of the Robb Elementary school shooting last May, which left 19 children and two teachers dead.

Out of all the 21 bills Gutierrez filed, 13 have been referred to committee but none have gotten a hearing or have had one scheduled.

The House committee gaveled in at 9 a.m. and discussed a handful of other bills before taking a recess for the House floor session. Lawmakers will continue the hearing after the House gavels out.

This is a developing story, check back for updates. Capitol Correspondent Monica Madden will have a full report on KXAN at 6 p.m.