The Texas Republican Party rebuked Sen. John Cornyn over his support for the bipartisan gun legislation.

Background: In the wake of mass shootings in Texas and New York, senators have been working to create legislation to address gun control concerns throughout the country. A bipartisan framework for the bill has been circulating throughout the Senate with more than 10 Republicans signaling their support for the legislation.

Cornyn has led the Republican side of negotiations as senators look to find common ground on gun-related legislation.

What the Texas GOP Says: “Whereas all gun control is a violation of the Second Amendment and our God-given rights, we reject the so-called ‘bipartisan gun agreement,’ and we rebuke Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas),” the platform reads.

What Happened: James Wesolek, the Texas GOP’s communications director said the vote to rebuke Sen Cornyn passed over the weekend.

The Texas GOP also rebuked eight other Republican senators who signed the recent statement agreeing to nine gun-related principles but did not include Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.). Burr’s omission was “most likely accidental,” Wesolek told The Hill.

Specific Concerns: The Texas GOP said it is concerned over two specific principles included in the bipartisan legislation.

The “boyfriend loophole,” would bar intimate or romantic partners convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse claims from possessing firearms. Negotiators have debated the definition of an intimate or romantic partner as well as whether partners should have a pathway to regaining their gun-ownership rights after a period of time.

The legislation would also send funds to states that could be used for red flag laws, which allow people to petition a court to keep guns out of the hands of people deemed dangerous to the community or themselves. Some Republicans have raised due process concerns over red flag legislation. 

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