In the wake of recent shootings in Odessa, El Paso, Sutherland Springs, and Plano, many Texas gun control proponents have demanded that state leadership “do something” in the hopes of preventing future tragedies. However, these demands often redound to a clear violation of an explicit right enumerated both in the United States and Texas constitutions—the individual right to keep and bear arms for lawful self-defense—while failing to empirically demonstrate the positive change the proposed policy changes seek to achieve. Nonetheless, some legislative proposals and executive actions floated in the wake of these tragedies may improve public safety and responsible firearm ownership through the explicit targeting of more pervasive types of firearm violence.
Testimony on Substitute Language for Plank 101, the School Choice Plank
The substitute language for Plank 101 is as follows: “Promoting Parental Choice: We support the right of parents to enroll their child in a traditional public school, private school, charter school, or to homeschool as they choose and believe all state funding for K-12 education should follow the child. We oppose any attempt to regulate...