AUSTIN, Texas — Mass shootings across the country and in Texas sparked a large gun reform rally in Austin Tuesday.
Among those at the rally were families and survivors of the Robb Elementary School shooting.
"On May 24th, everything changed," said an emotional Caitlyne Gonzales. "I shouldn't have to be here right now, but I am because my friends don't have a voice no more."
Caitlyne wasn't the only speaker. Gun owners approached the microphone outside of the state Capitol, calling for raising the age to buy a gun and closing the gun show loophole.
A recent University of Houston poll found Democrat and Republican Texans overwhelmingly support those reform measures and others. The question now is whether the actions of the lawmakers representing them will reflect that.
“We need this body to take their thoughts and prayers and put them into action," said Christina Delgado from Santa Fe.
Eleven of Arnulfo Reyes’ students and two of his co-workers at Robb Elementary were murdered.
“I see it very fitting that the age limit be raised to 21," he said at the rally.
That’s actually one of several gun reform measures included in a bill filed by Senate Democrats Monday.
“It’s not just mental health," said Sen. Roland Gutierrez who is leading the “Robb Elementary Firearm Safety Act." "It’s not just video games. It’s a gun. It’s an AR-15 that you put in the hands of an 18-year-old.”
During the State of the State Address, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said another year can't go by without making schools safer.
Both Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick named school safety as one of their priorities this session.
This month, the governor named gun crime a public safety issue.
“Some want more gun laws, but the fact is that too many local officials will not even enforce the gun laws that are already on the books," Abbott said during the State of the State address.
KHOU 11 reached out to the offices of Gov. Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick and Speaker Phelan to get their position on the “Robb Elementary Firearm Safety Act."