By Spandana Palyam,
Liberal Arts and Science Academy

“Fifteen years ago, if someone walked down the street with a gun, we would have been shocked and everyone would have been calling the police. But things are different now,” legislator Emily White claims. On March 3,  Emily White proposed Senate Bill 62 to demand the ban of high-capacity semi-automatic rifles in large public spaces. 

Senate Bill 62 states that carrying a long barrel firearm is strictly prohibited in large city public spaces (except for hunting). If caught, the offender will be charged with a third degree felony. White stated that even though a third-degree felony “is quite harsh,” it is necessary to motivate the public to create a safer environment. “The right to bear arms is a constitutional right that was made for citizens to be able to overthrow unjust governments. Will one person with a weapon in a public space overthrow an unjust government?” White questioned.

While this bill bans long barrel firearms, short barrel ones would still be legal to carry. This bill also does not limit the amount of guns that can be purchased or note that it’s prohibited to own a long barrel gun; only that long barrel guns cannot be carried in public spaces.

Though most legislators were in favor of this proposal, one believed the punishment was too harsh. Fellow legislator Emory Eldredge immediately challenged this assertion by exclaiming that she “wouldn’t feel safe having someone who has strapped a gun at a public place like Walmart.” All around the room, it was agreed that it was better to be safe than sorry.

White believes that this bill is not only necessary for Americans today but also future generations. “This issue personally matters to me, because I think in our culture, we’re really seeing the effects of gun violence on our children and just in our society as a whole.” 

Weapons in public spaces have repeatedly shown danger. Over 44,000 Americans were killed due to gun violence in 2022 and catastrophes like the Uvalde shooting have left Americans questioning their safety. White believes that with stricter policies, safety will increase in the public.

“My goal here is just a first step in initiative. The goal of my bill is to ultimately decrease gun violence and the public usage in Texas of these weapons,” White said..  The committee ended with a majority vote towards recommending the bill for Senate action.

Delegate Emily White monitors debate on Senate Bill 62