For the past month, students at Somerville High School have used Wednesdays to walk out of school. This week, they did same, but at the Massachusetts State House, where they lobbied for new gun laws.
"If we stop, if this leaves the media, then very important gun control laws won't be passed," Amalia Hochman said.
Following up to Saturday's March For Our Lives Rally, Hochman joined a handful of members of Students Against Gun Violence, lobbying for Extreme Risks Protective Orders, also known as the Red Flag Bill. The bill would allow police to remove guns for 14 days from a person family members believe could be a danger to themselves or others.
Pending a trial, that person could lose their guns for a year.
"I'm worried if my kid has a gun, if my cousin has a gun. I don't think they should, and I think that's a really important thing for family and household members to be able to report," Hochman said.
While walking through the State House, the students were able to get a response from Senate President Harriette Chandler's office.
"The senate president supports this bill that provides extreme risk protective orders," David Sullivan said. "She's set up a working group here in the senate to work on these issues."
U.S. & World
It's a start for the kids who say gun violence is beginning to hit close to home.
"One of our co-organizers in Andover, they had a school shooting threat yesterday," Sam Dornstein said. "Someone had posted a picture of gun magazines I believe and said something like 'don't come to school tomorrow.' So the threat is very real."
The students said they will be back next Wednesday. It's the last Wednesday before the a vote is taken on the bill.
