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U.S. Senate's bipartisan proposal on gun violence rejects many gun control measures

Twenty U.S. senators put together a framework to keep schools safer and reduce gun violence. It changes no requirements for legal gun ownership.

WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Twenty U.S. senators released a framework of principles for new legislation on gun violence over the weekend. John Cornyn, from Texas, introduced several of the new provisions on the Senate floor Monday and Tuesday. 

The framework includes multiple provisions to support mental health services, but rejects many of the gun control measures requested by teachers, celebrities and even coaches in the last few weeks.

RELATED: SURVEY: Most Texas educators don't want to be armed in schools

The proposals include funding for the "national expansion of community behavioral health center model" and "major investments to increase access to mental health and suicide prevention programs." The framework also states federal funding will invest in "programs to expand mental health and supportive services in schools, including: early identification and intervention programs."

Bell County already has a community behavioral health center in Temple called Central County Services. 

Central Counties Services Executive Director Johnnie Wardell told 6 News the funding would be welcome and would help the center improve staffing and provide additional local support. 

"Right now our case workers are carrying 120 to 130 people on a caseload that is very difficult to manage and meet their high level of needs. In order to broaden the scope of individuals that we serve, we would need more staff because those case loads would get higher," Wardell said. 

Wardell told 6 News there was a shortage of qualified mental health professionals in the state as it is and additional funding could help Central County Services raise pay for case workers and better compete with the private sector. Currently, the center focus on more severe mental health issues such as schizophrenia, severe depression and bipolar disorder.

"There are other mental health conditions people need access to services for, so extra funding would allow us to broaden our scope of services to individuals who have other needs," Wardell said. 

On the floor of the Senate Monday afternoon, Cornyn touted several of their framework's proposals for gun safety. 

These included focusing on protections for victims of domestic violence and ensuring people convicted of domestic violence can't purchase fire arms. The proposals also include a requirement that gun buyers under 21 must have their juvenile and mental health records reviewed, though it did not explain how those would work. 

Wardell told 6 News such a review would be difficult because authorities generally cannot access a person's mental health records unless that person is under investigation after a crime or during a mental health crisis. 

"For someone who is not in the criminal justice system database already they (law enforcement) would not have access to mental health records," Wardell said. 

At the same time, Cornyn also said during his presentation that the framework would be rejecting multiple proposals he believed would be unacceptable to constituents on either side of the isle. 

The frameworks rejected gun control proposals including:

  • Universal background checks
  • An assault weapons ban for buyers 18 to 21 years old
  • A general waiting period for gun sales
  • A three week waiting period for gun sales to buyers 18 to 21 years old 
  • A ban on high capacity magazines
  • A criminal penalty for negligent storage of fire arms at home

Cornyn said several times the framework would not have any new requirements for law-abiding gun owners. 

"Law-abiding gun owners will not be subject to any new restrictions. Period," Cornyn said. 

On Monday, Cornyn said that the framework would provide support to states for "red flag laws." These laws are designed to keep weapons out of the hands of people who the court has determined to be dangerous to themselves or others. Cornyn went so far as to suggest 16 states already have such laws and Texas should "not miss out" on that support. 

"Sixteen states have red flag laws and Texas does not. They certainly should not miss out on those resources for crisis intervention," Cornyn said. 

Wardell told 6 News such laws typically allow for a person to be evaluated as dangerous due to factors including a mental illness, a mental health crisis, substance use, or family violence. 

"The gun related provisions in this proposal will only impact criminals and those adjudicated mentally ill," he said.

RELATED: House approves 'red flag' gun bill unlikely to pass Senate

Cornyn later clarified that lawmakers were not proposing any sort of "national red flag law" and were only supporting state laws. He then said he was not trying to provide incentive to pass such laws. 

"Some have mischaracterized this provision as incentives for states to pass a red flag law, but that is something I am aiming to avoid. I trust states to make their own decisions and 16 states have decided to pass red flag laws," Cornyn said. 

Cornyn said the Senate is now working on creating legislation based on these proposals. He said many of the gun control provisions had been rejected because he did not believe the resulting legislation would pass with those provisions. 

"We knew they would jeopardize our ability to get to 60 votes," Cornyn said. 

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