Global Courant 2023-04-26 11:49:26
The Texas legislature passed a bill requiring silent panic buttons in classrooms across the state just days after the anniversary of last year’s Uvalde shooting where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.
House Bill 3 cleared the chamber by a vote of 119-25. It now goes to the Senate.
On May 24, 2022, a mass shooting occurred in Uvalde, Texas.
The bill is one of a handful of security measures introduced by the Texas legislature to bolster school security in the wake of the shooting, including hiring at least one armed security officer on every campus and offering incentives for administrators and other school personnel. to carry a weapon.
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The Texas legislature has taken several security measures in the wake of the Uvalde shooting. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Before the bill was passed, it was amended to increase school funding for security purposes, KHOU reported.
HD Chambers, the executive director of the Texas School Alliance, said the funding allows each school to uniquely address its own issues.
“Access to mental health services is just as important as any effort to harden campuses,” Chambers said, KHOU reported. “Ultimately, each school district is unique and needs the resources and flexibility to come up with solutions that work for the community.”
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Funding includes $100 per student who regularly attends classes, and an additional $15,000 per year. The total cost of the bill was subsequently increased from $300 million to about $1.6 billion, KHOU said.
Privacy barriers and bike racks maintain a fence at a memorial outside Robb Elementary School, after video was released of May’s shooting at the school in Uvalde, Texas, U.S., July 13, 2022. (REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal)
The proposal also requires regular safety inspections of school buildings. If a school fails to comply with safety measures, the state would give its students a scholarship to go to another school.
Another bill passed by the Texas House provides stipends of up to $25,000 to staff members who choose to become armed campus guards in addition to their regular duties.
Uvalde is home to the Texas Elementary School where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers on May 24, 2022. ((AP Photo/Eric Gay))
The legislation passed the Texas House overwhelmingly with bipartisan support.
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Texas already allows licensed teachers to carry firearms, but the new proposal requires armed personnel to also be trained to identify students in need of mental health resources.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
