Texas Representative Introduces Armed School Security Immunity Bill

  • By Matt Jones
  • March 25, 2021

On Wednesday, March 24, a member of the Texas House of Representatives introduced a bill to the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence that would grant a level of immunity from liability to armed school security personnel in the event of a public safety incident.

Rep. Cole Hefner authored and introduced House Bill 1788. It would protect paid or volunteer security personnel at both public and private schools, as well as the schools themselves, from legal liability for certain actions of those security staff members. Immunity would be granted when “reasonable action (is) taken by the security personnel to maintain the safety of the school campus, including action relating to possession or use of a firearm.”

“This is just to give the schools and the security personnel some protections from civil liabilities when they’re using reasonable actions to protect their students,” Hefner told East Texas Now.

In order for the immunity to take effect, though, the employee must have received written permission from school authorities—either the board of trustees of a public school district or the governing body of a private school or open-enrollment charter school.

Austin news station KLTV reports that the bill had no other speakers for or against it, and that it is pending a future vote.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • Ensuring School Bus Safety: Tech-Driven Advancements and Their Impact on Student Transportation

    Parents and school districts have always shared one fundamental, non-negotiable goal: to keep students safe while traveling to and from school. Period. Read Now

  • How Campus Security Became an Art of Disappearing

    Walk across any university campus at 8:47 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you'll witness something remarkable. Thousands of students stream through buildings, carrying everything from vintage MacBooks to oversized coffee cups, lost in conversations about weekend plans or upcoming exams. If the right weapons detection is in place, most will never notice the sophisticated security measures protecting them. This invisibility can represent the highest achievement in modern campus security design. Read Now

  • Torrance USD Standardizes Its Mass Communications

    The Torrance Unified School District is a cornerstone of the Torrance, Calif. community, dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life. Serving a diverse student population, Torrance USD delivers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience from kindergarten through high school. The school district comprises 17 elementary, eight middle, and five high schools, one continuation high school, and one alternative high school.  Read Now

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now

Most   Popular