Gov. Greg Abbott announces school safety plan and proposed changes to gun laws after Santa Fe...

[DonViejo]

Source: The Texas Tribune




Gov. Greg Abbott announces school safety plan and proposed changes to gun laws after Santa Fe shooting

The governor's announcement follows three days of roundtable discussions about school safety last week at the Capitol. He said he was open to a special session to implement some of his ideas.

BY BRANDON FORMBY AND EMMA PLATOFF MAY 30, 2018 2 HOURS AGO

Less than two weeks after 10 people were killed in a southeast Texas school shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott laid out a 40-page, 40-strategy plan for preventing future school shootings, and left the door open to calling lawmakers back to Austin to pass some of those priorities.

"If there is consensus on some laws that could be passed, I am open to calling [a special session]," Abbott said.

A special session would be a dramatic move during an election year in which he, all top state officials and a majority of lawmakers are seeking new terms. It’s even more rare given how emotionally charged — and politically divisive — issues of school safety and gun control are.

Some lawmakers have demanded that Abbott, who has the sole authority to call and set agendas for special sessions, take such action. Most Texans responding to a poll taken before the Santa Fe shooting said they support stricter gun control laws.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/05/30/texas-gov-greg-abbott-santa-fe-shooting-school-safety-plan-gun-laws/

[Frustratedlady]

1. I hope it doesn't include arming teachers.

At least someone is doing something. More than you can say for the other states.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. Oh you know it will and probably the custodians too. nt

[flamin lib]

3. Schools that arm teachers are finding it hard to find

insurance. Seems like the actuarials are nervous about a single question; What could possibly go wrong?

[Frustratedlady]

4. Well, I have 3 teachers in the family and they can't think of one teacher who would fill...

the qualifications for the job. They'd take their chances with some kid going macho and hole up in the classroom with their students. Not a perfect solution, but better than some unqualified, frightened teacher more concerned about protecting her children than shooting another human...perhaps a former student. Their minds aren't programmed that way. Legislators think in NRA/donation terms; teachers are more nurturing.

[Honeycombe8]

5. I wouldn't expect meaningful gun control from TEXAS. nt

[lark]

6. I took the time to read the document first.

Most of it is horse-shit, like the 48 hour background check requirement, this is very unhelpful and lets criminals & crazies get guns. There was only 2 helpful ideas in the whole thing - 1- that a child would be defined as under 18 is better than under 17, but still not ideal. 2 - That if someone uses your gun because it wasn't locked up and kills someone, you get charged with a 3rd degree felony. The rest of the stuff is already in place in lots of other areas and didn't stop mass killings there and won't in TX either. Law enforcement ignores complaints bout white guys and let them go on to kill, as we saw in Parkland. So, basically a lot of drivel and lies with 1-2 new suggestions about controlling the access to guns so he can lie and say he was pro-active to prevent more gun violence without actually doing much about it at all.

[marble falls]

7. It is a minimal starting point.