Three bills to enhance school safety across the state passed out of the Texas House on April 25. The bills would increase funding for school safety infrastructure, require armed school security officers at all public school campuses and add silent panic alert devices to all classrooms.
The vote on the bills came 11 months after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24, 2022.
Making schools safer is a top legislative priority for Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. House lawmakers have proposed setting aside $1.6 billion for school safety in their 2024-25 state budget proposal, while the Senate proposed $1.3 billion. Lawmakers from both chambers will meet to negotiate the final budget before the legislative session ends in late May.