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Posted: 2022-05-20T09:47:22Z | Updated: 2022-05-20T09:47:22Z

A pair of bills meant to improve gun safety on film sets in the wake of the tragedy on the Rust film set are stagnant in the California legislature.

One of the bills, formed by state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), would have strengthened firearm safety measures with a required set safety officer while another, promoted by state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Caada Flintridge), was more restricted in its hopes for set safety reform.

The lack of support by the state legislatures appropriations committee this week means senators will have to rework the legislation in 2023, according to the Los Angeles Times .

The bills were in response to the tragedy on the New Mexico set after actor Alec Baldwin fired a gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

The Cortese bill was backed by one of Hollywoods major unions, the Directors Guild of America, a group supporting film and TV directors with over 18,000 union members.

Danny Bush, DGA Associate National Executive Director, wrote in a letter to Cortese that safety measures are not prioritized enough and recommended guidelines are not consistently followed, the Los Angeles Times reported in April .

While the Rust tragedy involved a shooting, our safety concerns extend far beyond firearms; entertainment workers are regularly exposed to explosions, vehicles, aircraft, falling objects, dangerous animals or countless other hazardous environments, Bush reportedly wrote in the letter.

Cortese, in a statement to the Times, committed himself to protect people in the film and TV industry.

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First the industry killed Halyna. Then they killed the bill that wouldve made people like her safe, he said.