AUSTIN, Texas — State Sen. Roland Gutierrez on Tuesday afternoon announced three new pieces of legislation aimed at preventing mass shootings, enhancing school safety and making mental health resources more accessible.
This marks the second set of bills Gutierrez has introduced during this ongoing legislation session centered around school safety. They new bills aim to do three things, including increase school safety, improve emergency response protocols between state and local entities, and fix radio communication in rural communities.
Gutierrez also hopes to create a monument for mass shooting victims in the Texas State Cemetery and make a request for funding for school safety and mental health.
Two weeks ago, Gutierrez released legislation focusing on increasing state and local accountability, removing qualified immunity and providing compensation for affected survivors and families.
Gutierrez says the bills are bipartisan, but also knows they could cause a stir from some Texas lawmakers.
He says families in Uvalde have had difficulty gaining access to services, resources and financial support. Gutierrez says families are still seeking answers about the investigation eight months after the tragedy.
Governor Abbott tweeted Monday that the Texas legislature wants to double its investment in student mental health resources. In response, Kimberly Garcia, Amerie’s mom tweeted students are driving out of town and paying for therapy and nothing has changed.
Gutierrez plans to introduce a total of 20 bills, which is expected to be done on a weekly basis during the session.
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