The
House of Representatives Judiciary Committee met Thursday to discuss a
gun control legislation package in
the wake of recent mass shootings.
Lawmakers
are deliberating over the Protect Our Kids Act. The Democratic-led
legislation was added after last week’s school shooting in Texas.
Some
of the changes that this would bring include raising the legal age from 18 to 21 years old to buy certain semiautomatic
centerfire rifles, establishing new federal offenses for gun trafficking and selling
large capacity magazines, and allowing local governments to compensate
individuals who surrender such magazines through a buyback program.
This
legislation also looks to create a tax incentive for retail sales of storage
devices, as well as criminal penalties for breaking new requirements regulating
firearm storage. It would also strengthen existing regulations on bump stocks
and ghost guns.
Democratic
lawmakers are expecting opposition from Republicans. A vote could
come as early as next week.