By Mitch Borden
State lawmakers are traveling to West Texas today to hear from survivors of mass shootings -- including, the August 31st shooting in Odessa that took the lives of seven people and injured more than 20.
This public hearing is part of the state’s larger effort to form strategies to prevent gun violence across Texas.
The Texas Senate Select Committee on Mass Violence and Public Safety will meet at Odessa College early this afternoon. State senators will hear testimony from victims of mass shootings, including Odessa’s, to better understand the impact this type of violence has on communities.
This is the second in a series of meetings senate officials are holding. They want to look into how to prevent people, like the Odessa shooter, who are federally barred from purchasing firearms -- from getting their hands on them. Legislators are also evaluating the effectiveness of current laws and policies already in place to prevent violence.
The Texas Senate Select Committee on Mass Violence and Public Safety will begin in Odessa at 2 pm and go till 7 pm.
