The Alabama House Public Safety Committee, which last week narrowly approved the bill to arm teachers, today failed to muster enough lawmakers to consider three Democrat-sponsored gun bills, including one that would make it a felony to sell an assault-style rifle to a person younger than 21.

Only four of the 11 committee members showed up for the 9 a.m. meeting. It takes at least six to conduct business.

The bill is by Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, who proposed it in response to the Feb. 14 shooting that killed 17 people at a Florida high school.

Today's committee agenda also included gun bills by Reps. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove and Mary Moore, D-Birmingham.

Givan said the failure of the committee members to show up this morning sends a message that they are not serious about gun safety and protecting children.

Givan noted that the issues have hit close to home in Alabama in the last two weeks, with the fatal shootings at Huffman High School and UAB Highlands.

"And we can't have a discussion?" Givan said. "Vote it up or vote it down. Don't be cowards."

Moore's bill would make it a crime to sell or transfer an assault-style weapon. She said she introduced it to promote discussion.

"I want a dialogue and I want us all to dialogue as adults," Moore said. "And that's not what's happening."

The House adjourned Tuesday night without taking up the bill to arm teachers who go through training and are approved by local officials.

Committee members who did not attend today included the chairman, Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris. Givan said Treadaway's absence was understandable because of serious personal concerns, including the recent death of his daughter.

Six other Republican committee members did not attend -- Reps. Will Ainsworth of Guntersville, Dickie Drake of Leeds, Tommy Hanes of Scottsboro, Connie Rowe of Jasper, Harry Shiver of Stockton and Isaac Whorton of Valley.

The committee members who did show up were Reps. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, Allen Farley, R-McCalla, Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville and Moore.

This story was corrected at 12:28 p.m. to show that Rep. Chris England showed up for the meeting.