x
Breaking News
More () »

Governor Abbott releases new report on school safety efforts

After the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School, Gov. Abbott issued recommendations to prevent another shooting. His new report gives updates on the progress.

AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott released a new report Tuesday, detailing the progress state lawmakers and agencies have made in keeping students and teachers safe at school.

The report focuses on the progress of the 31 recommendations Gov. Abbott put out in his "School Safety Action Plan." That plan was the result of a series of roundtable discussions the governor hosted following the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School, when a student opened fire on campus, killing 10 people and injuring more than a dozen others. 

During the last legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed several bills based on Gov. Abbott's report, as the governor pointed out last week during a roundtable on a separate shooting in El Paso earlier this month.

"Those discussions weren't just for show and for people to go off into the sunset and do nothing. They led to more than 20 laws being signed by me to make sure that the State of Texas was a better, safer place, including our schools for our children," Gov. Abbott said. 

WATCH: Texas Safety Commission meets at Capitol

According to the progress report, 25 of the governor's 31 recommendations have been implemented, lawmakers passed 17 new school safety laws last session and allocated $339 million in the state's two-year budget toward school safety. That money will be used for a variety of things from mental health resources on campus to making the school buildings themselves safer.

But among the pages of accomplishments is a statement in bold letters: "However, there is more to do to improve the safety of our schools and the students and teachers in our classrooms."

The governor wrote, "More work is needed to create a school culture that builds character and fellowship through parental engagement and community involvement." 

RELATED: 

Texas This Week: State lawmakers look to prevent mass shootings in wake of El Paso massacre

Gov. Abbott holds meeting of Texas Safety Commission at Capitol

Texas governor creates domestic terrorism task force after El Paso mass shooting

Texas governor sending $5.5 million to El Paso for recovery efforts

And he echoed that sentiment during the El Paso roundtable. 

"In the round tables we had in the aftermath of Santa Fe, we thought that we took big steps to be able to address the challenges of gun violence in the State of Texas," Gov. Abbott said. "Obviously in the aftermath of that, there was a different type of gun violence."

The governor also wrote he stands ready to find more solutions while the legislature is out of session, and he will work to pass even more laws to keep kids safe next session.

You can read Gov. Abbott's full report below:

Table of Contents Contents Introduction 2|Page August 27, 2019 Greg AbbottGovernor of Texas Introduction 3|PageIntroduction Over the past two years, the Governor's Office has worked with legislators, advocates, school administrators, law enforcement officials, parents, and community members on efforts to improve the safety of Texas schools.

PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING:

Suspected shoplifters allegedly started fires in Walmart bathroom as a distraction

Texas DPS offering up to $6,000 for information about 2004 cold case

'You left my baby': Mom wants justice for her 4-year-old son

J.J. Watt giving away a Ford Raptor truck, $100K and chance to meet him

Before You Leave, Check This Out