A pair of gun safety bills that were intended to keep firearms away from children has passed a state House panel. Approval for the vote in the House Judiciary Committee came over the objections of Republicans, who argue that the bills only punish law-abiding gun owners. One of the measures would allow parents to be held jointly responsible for gun crimes committed by their children. Its sponsor says up to 90 percent of guns used by minors are found in the child’s home or a relative’s home.
