As students go back to school in Uvalde, many questions remain on how lawmakers should move forward.
Both the house and the senate formed special committees after the governor asked for recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training and firearm safety.
“I also issued directives to the Texas legislature to go to work on addressing any and all issues concerning the shooting and reach an agreement, and they did reach agreement on some items, such as providing 105 million dollars to both make schools safer but also to address mental health and Uvalde,” said Gov. Greg Abbott last week in North Texas.
Governor Greg Abbott talks about major issues in the upcoming midterm election. That and more on today’s edition of Lone Star Politics
The Senate Special Committee to Protect all Texas held several hearings this summer.
In a statement. Committee Chairman and State Senator Robert Nichols about said new discussions and additional details are expanding the report and delaying its release.
“After our hearings concluded, the committee staff began writing a report with recommendations for the next legislative session. Our staff met with all of the other members of the committee and their staff to develop recommendations, receive additional feedback, and build consensus among the members ,” Nichols said in a statement to NBC 5. “As those discussions progressed, meetings with additional stakeholders began to take place. The further we investigated these issues, the more we uncovered additional details and information about other policy options. Those discussions and discoveries led us to extend the timeline for releasing the report. We want to produce a report that is as thoughtful and well-researched as possible and plan to do so this fall.”
The Texas House also formed a special committee, the House Select Committee on Youth, Health and Safety. That committee held joint hearings with the House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety.
Health Youth and Safety Committee member Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) said he expects a report later this month or next.
The Robb Elementary School Investigative Committee heard testimony throughout the summer with much of it in executive session.
“I was in high school when Columbine happened, and it was shocking because it was unheard of at the time. So I know it didn’t use to be this way, and it does not have to be this way now,” said Committee Vice-Chairman Joe Moody, (D-El Paso), at one of the hearings in June.
The committee issued its report, which said police officers didn’t adhere to active shooter training, and didn’t prioritize saving lives over their own safety. Lawmakers head back to session this January, likely with several reports to consider before voting on recommendations.
NBC 5’s Meredith Yeomans is in Uvalde Tuesday, the first day back to school for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District more than three months after the massacre at Robb Elementary.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism