Nichols was joined by Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford), Pete Flores, and Kevin Sparks at the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival to discuss their priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
King currently represents Texas House District 61 and is running for Texas Senate District 10. Flores served as a state senator from 2018 to 2021 in District 19 and is running in District 24, which encompasses a large swath of Texas’ central region.
When asked if he would support raising the age to purchase a firearm to 21, Nichols said yes.
He said that most school shootings are committed by individuals under the age of 20, which showcases a lack of mental development necessary to own a firearm.
“There’s a lot that changes in a person’s life in those three years. All of the school shooters are between the age of 13 and 19; they’re all males,” Nichols asserted.
Nichols is the chairman of the Uvalde Special Committee formed earlier this year, tasked with investigating the mass shooting.
A federal judge ruled last month that Texas’ prohibition of adults under the age of 21 carrying handguns was unconstitutional.
Gov. Greg Abbott believes this decision prevents the legislature from raising the age to buy a firearm.
“It’s clear that the gun control law that they are seeking in Uvalde, as much as they may want it, has already been ruled to be unconstitutional,” he said at a campaign stop shortly after the ruling.
Nichols also voiced opposition to school voucher programs, which redirect funding from public schools to the parent’s choice of charter or private schools. Nichols said he and Abbott do not see eye-to-eye on this issue.
“I love my governor, and I’m gonna vote for him and I encourage everybody else to vote for him, … but I think [he’s] just wrong,” he said.
Nichols, who represents the predominantly rural Senate District 3 in East Texas, claims these programs would severely reduce funding for small school districts. If students start defecting to private or charter schools, he thinks those small public schools will not be able to function with fewer students and less funding.
Abbott has been a staunch supporter of school choice and it is set to be a significant legislative priority of the 88th Legislature.
Towards the end of the session, the interviewer put the question of abortion up for discussion. There were initially no answers until Nichols surprised some in the audience by saying he would support a bill allowing for abortion in cases of rape or incest.
“If I get a chance to vote for an exception to rape, I will vote yes,” he said.
The current Texas laws prohibiting abortion do not allow for the procedure in cases of rape or incest. Texas only allows for abortion if the life of the mother is threatened.
House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) also mentioned at the festival that he would be open to examining current restrictions on abortion. He said he has heard from physicians and other House members that believe there should be some exceptions to the law.
Abortion will continue to be a contentious issue in the 2022 election season, and many Democrats have made it a centerpiece of their campaigns after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Hudson Callender
Hudson Callender is a reporter for The Texan and a lifelong resident of San Antonio, Texas. Hudson recently graduated cum laude from Trinity University with majors in Economics and Political Science, and loves to study ancient history. Hudson is also an avid mountaineer, backpacker, and paddler, often leading trips to remote wilderness areas. Outside of his love for nature, history, and Lone Star beer, Hudson spends his weekends arguing with his friends about football, and will always stick up for the Baylor Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and San Antonio Spurs.
