Moms Demand Action meet with NC lawmakers for bipartisan support on gun bills

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- About 200 advocates for the group Moms Demand Action spent much of their afternoon at the state legislature in downtown Raleigh on Wednesday with the hopes of lawmakers voting in the group's favor.

The group said it had more than 50 meetings with Republican and Democratic lawmakers scheduled throughout the afternoon.

"If (politicians) do not support common-sense gun laws, then we will work to get them out of office," said volunteer Jessica Hulick. "Gun-violence protection is a nonpartisan issue ... and we are more than willing to sit down and talk with everyone. So what we really want to get across is they should be willing to talk with us as well."

A representative with the group said several lawmakers either did not respond to their request for a meeting or simply declined a meeting altogether.

"We'll start looking toward the next election," Hulick said.

The group had two bills on its agenda Wednesday afternoon that they hoped lawmakers would vote in their favor. First, they hope lawmakers vote to oppose Senate Bill 192, better known as the School Security Act of 2019. The bill would allow schools and colleges to arm teachers and supporters with firearms on campus.

"I'm a teacher and I do not want to know people walking around my building are carrying guns," said Susan Browder.

Browder is also a volunteer for Moms Demand Action. Browder's daughter, Sarah, was killed in September 2012 by her husband. Browder's former son-in-law killed himself after killing Sarah.

Moms Demand Action hopes House Bill 454 will become law and allow family and law enforcement officials to limit "high risk" people from having access to firearms.

"The person who killed my daughter had a history of drug abuse and violence. And yet he legally got a gun by online gun sales," Browder said. "If the person who had killed my daughter had a background check, she might very well be alive today. And I'm not the only one who has lost someone to gun violence who cares about this issue."

Hulick said she hopes Moms Demand Action will continue having conversations with lawmakers after Wednesday's meetings.