I would like to respond to Larry Mynars’ criticism of several bills that I supported in the legislature (“Voting record,” Times letters, 3/2/22.)

Mr. Mynars criticized my support of HB2448, a bill that requires students to receive a brief lesson in gun safety, which does not involve handling guns. The course teaches students, especially young children, to not touch unattended guns, to keep away from them and to call an adult. I do not understand why Mr. Mynars would object to such lifesaving instruction for our children.

Mr. Mynars also criticized HB2319, a bill that I voted for and authored. Contrary to what Mr. Mynars wrote, the bill does not ban citizens filming police activity. The bill strikes a constitutionally reasonable balance between the right of the people to film with the need to keep officers safe and prevent the destruction of evidence. The bill was written in response to some people, including organized anti-police groups, walking up to police officers making arrests and standing one or two feet near them.

Rather than banning the filming, my bill recognizes the constitutional right of people to do so but says that they not get closer than eight feet. The eight-foot buffer does not apply to people filming their own encounters with the police and to those riding in a vehicle with such persons. Finally, the buffer zone only applies in potentially dangerous situations, where police are questioning suspicious persons, arresting people or handling emotionally disturbed people in crisis.

Regarding my support of a bill that repealed a never used, decades-old law that allowed competition in the electric markets, it was flawed and risked creating the electricity crises that have plagued California and Texas. I will only support such competition when it has safeguards for my constituents.