AUSTIN, Texas — As calls for a special legislative session increase following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet announced whether he will call lawmakers to the Capitol.
On Monday, the Uvalde CISD school board unanimously approved sending Abbott a resolution urging him to convene a special session to discuss raising the age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21. The school board joins numerous lawmakers and others who have asked the governor to call a special session.
On Tuesday, KVUE asked Abbott's office about the new calls for a special session. A spokesperson said in part:
"As Gov. Abbott has said from day one, all options remain on the table as he continues working with state and local leaders to prevent future tragedies and deploy all available resources to support the Uvalde community as they heal. More announcements are expected in the coming days and weeks as the legislature deliberates proposed solutions."
The spokesperson also listed the following actions that have been taken by the governor's office since the Uvalde school shooting:
- Initiating the State of Texas' comprehensive plan to assist and support members of the community, including co-locating state agency representatives to the Family Assistance Center for on-hand assistance in finding benefits.
- Investing an initial $5 million into establishing a long-term Family Resiliency Center in Uvalde County to serve as a hub for community services, including access to the critical mental health resources.
- Providing $105.5 million to make schools safer and support the mental health of children, teachers, and families in Uvalde and across Texas.
- Working with the OneStar Foundation to create a one-stop webpage for donations to support the victims' families, teachers and the Uvalde community.
- Directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to ensure all children in Uvalde have access to behavioral health resources and community support.
- Issuing a disaster declaration at the request of local leaders to accelerate all available state and local resources to assist the Uvalde community.
- Requesting Texas legislative leaders convene special legislative committees to begin examining and developing legislative recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training, firearm safety and more.
- Directing the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) to begin immediately conducting comprehensive school safety reviews to ensure all Texas public schools are following the appropriate procedures to maximize school safety.
- Directing the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide strategies to make Texas public schools safer through heightened safety standards.
- Instructing the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) programs to provide training to all school districts across the state, prioritizing school-based law enforcement.
- Directing TEA, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to expand and accelerate the ability to report suspicious activity through the iWatchTexas reporting system.
- Directing TEA to create a new Chief of School Safety and Security position within the agency.
- Urging the Texas District & County Attorneys Association (TDCAA) to increase lie-and-try prosecutions.
Additionally, on Wednesday, Abbott's office announced that the Governor's Public Safety Office is providing $1.25 million to Uvalde CISD for counseling, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention and community outreach efforts for students and faculty.
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