California pledges gun reform in response to Texas school shooting

Gov. Gavin Newsom and leaders in the state senate and assembly have committed to moving along gun reform legislation in response to the mass shooting Tuesday at a Texas elementary school that has left at least 19 children and two adults dead.

“California will not stand by as kids across the country are gunned down,” Newsom said in a statement Wednesday. “Guns are now the leading cause of death for kids in America. While the U.S. Senate stands idly by and activist federal judges strike down commonsense gun laws across our nation, California will act with the urgency this crisis demands.”

Among the four senate and assembly bills that Newsom has pledged to sign is AB 2571, which restricts advertising of firearms to minors. Other legislation is aimed at limiting the spread of illegal assault weapons and “ghost guns,” which come in kits and are untraceable.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also supported the legislation, and committed to cracking down on gun violence.

“Active shooter drills, metal detectors, and schools that look like prisons are not the answer,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “We need commonsense gun safety laws. We are sick and tired of seeing young and promising lives cut short due to gun violence.”