Senate, House pass long-time-coming gun control bill
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Both the House and Senate just passed the most impactful gun control bill we've seen in 30 years, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
Now, the bill is on its way to President Biden's desk to be signed into law.
This bipartisan gun legislation law was written in response to recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York will make large investments towards mental health, school safety and crisis intervention programs.
The Safer Communities Act includes expanding mental health treatment in schools while adding more security.
More resources for 'Red Flag Systems' are also proposed in the bill, ensuring those with mental health issues don’t have firearms.
The Chairman of the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, Tony Reyes, ensures Arizonans this law is not taking away their guns, but creating a better safety net for our community.
“We wanna make sure people understand that this is not in any way, shape, or form limiting the ability to purchase a gun or to own a gun or to carry a gun," said Chairman Reyes.
Dimitri Karras who is the media director of local gun store Firearms Unknown, says gun owners shouldn’t even bat an eye at this legislation.
“it’s nonsense I don’t think it should be really paid too much attention to and there’s a good chance that quite a bit of it is gonna be unconstitutional anyway," said Karras.
Many have questioned why it has taken so long for a bill like this to pass, asking the government how many of our children have to die for change to happen.
Chairman Reyes says we should feel encouraged that even after 30 years of this fight, Republicans and Democrats were able to finally agree on this gun control law.
“I think doing nothing wasn’t an option and I think it got to that point now where doing nothing was much worse than doing something," said Chairman Reyes.
Not everyone agrees though, as several Republican lawmakers voted against the measure.
Still, this 80-page bill passed on a 65 to 33 vote by the Senate and was approved by the House as well.
As stated by Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), “Arizonans have a constitutional right to bear arms and that right will not be infringed upon.” Even though many Republican lawmakers disagree and voted against the bill.
