Texas Legislature to Discuss School Safety, Funding

Texas Legislature to Discuss School Safety, Funding

The events of 2018 have school safety at the top of mind for Texas legislation.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • January 09, 2019

School safety and security has been top of mind for Texas legislation since the Santa Fe shooting that killed 10 people last year. 

Gov. Greg Abbot held a roundtable to discuss and look for ways to improve school safety in the state but now it is up to legislatures to see if any of the ideas presented at the round table become law.

Here are the bills to watch:

  • HB 198 would allow school districts to include mental health services in school health programs and look for health care grants to pay for these services.
  • SB 193 addresses the school marshal program, which allows staff to carry concealed weapons. Marshals go through training and their identities are kept confidential. This bill proposes waiving the fee for marshals to get a gun license.
  • SB 243 would require school marshals to use guns loaded with only a specific type of ammunition.

Texas legislature will also be discussing how to fund schools. There are bills on the docket that would require the state to pay at least half of funding for public schools, which is double what the state currently contributes. 

Other educational items to be heard revolve around Texas' charter school, which continue to grow in urban areas. The schools have become controversial because some argue they take away funding from traditional public schools.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

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