Senate negotiations on gun reforms stall over 'boyfriend' loophole, red flag laws

Top negotiators on a bipartisan gun safety framework deal huddled behind closed doors for several hours Wednesday evening to try to solve remaining differences, but the group's effort to expedite passage of an agreement is stalled, at least for the moment.

Since a group of 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans announced an agreement Sunday on a framework of proposals aimed at curbing gun violence in the wake of mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, a bipartisan group of senators has been working to speedily turn the list of ideas into a bill ready for consideration on the Senate floor next week. But two provisions, one focused on incentivizing states to implement violence prevention programs, and another dealing with closing the so-called "boyfriend loophole," are now tying up negotiations, chief Republican negotiator John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Wednesday.