AUSTIN, Texas -- Days after the one-year anniversary of the Santa Fe school shooting, state lawmakers have advanced a measure meant to improve safety at Texas schools.
- House tentatively passes campus safety legislation
- Bill also increases student mental health resources
The Texas House tentatively passed a bill Tuesday that would increase campus security and boost student mental health resources.
Lawmakers said the legislation was inspired by students and faculty at Santa Fe High School. Last year, 10 people were killed after a gunman opened fire inside the school.
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“They were so influential in thinking about what could have prevented that moment and we really heard their voices and their stories and their needs, said Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint.
A change made to the legislation Tuesday would require school curriculums to include courses on mental health and suicide prevention, and ensure that schools notify parents to suicidal tendencies in students.
“[The goal is] to increase parental awareness of suicide-related risk factors and warning signs,” said Rep. Steve Allison, R-San Antonio.
The bill also calls for schools to develop safety plans to be reviewed by the state and to engage in response training. Threat assessment teams would be established to look at students who are flagged through incidents and reports.
The measure passed overwhelmingly with the hope that it will prevent tragedies like Santa Fe from ever happening again in Texas.
The Texas Senate will have to approve the changes the House made to the bill before it can head to the governor’s desk. Lawmakers are also debating a measure that would increase the number of armed school marshals.