Texas Governor Greg Abbott Promotes ‘Lie-and-Try’ Law as Response to Uvalde Shooting

In the aftermath of the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, state officials appear to be leaning on existing laws to help prevent future attacks.

Governor Greg Abbott (R.) sent a letter on Tuesday to the Texas District & Country Attorneys Association urging them to utilize the state’s new “lie-and-try” law to prosecute criminals who attempt to buy guns. The law makes it a state felony to falsify information on a gun purchase background check form.

“Texas is committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people who cannot lawfully possess them,” the letter reads. “The tragic shooting in Uvalde compels us to redouble those efforts. Government officials have a duty to make Texans safer by enforcing the laws that are already on the books. Recent legislation has added a new tool to the Texas prosecutor’s toolbox, and all district and county attorneys should put it to good use.”