Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's school safety recommendations, revealed Wednesday, revolve around increasing security at schools and mental health awareness following the deadly shooting at a Texas high school.
Among recommendations in the 43-page report are that campuses be "hardened" by actions that could include creating vestibules where doors must by remotely unlocked before visitors can enter, installing metal detectors and having an alarm that would signal there's an active shooter.
He also suggested the Legislature consider requiring the Texas Education Agency to create a formal review process of school districts' safety audits.
Other recommendations included training more teachers and school employees to carry handguns on campus.
Abbott is also recommending an expansion of a program that identifies students at risk of committing violence and provides help for them.
He also wants to increase the number of people trained to identify signs of mental illness and increase awareness of a state system that allows people to report people who may be a threat and suspicious activity.
Abbott is proposing a change to the state law that says guns can't be made accessible to children under 17, with exceptions such as hunting or parent supervision. He's encouraging the Legislature to consider changing the age to include 17-year-olds. The accused gunman in the Santa Fe High School shooting this month that killed 10 was 17 and obtained the firearms used from his father.
Abbott is also encouraging the Legislature to consider adopting a "red flag" law that would allow family, law enforcement and others to file a petition to remove firearms from a potentially dangerous person.
He also wants a new law that would require gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm within 10 days.
The recommendations include increasing the presence of law enforcement at schools. He also suggests more mental health screening for students. A handful of recommendations involved gun safety.
Abbott says funding will be aided by federal grants, though some recommendations require state lawmakers to weigh in.
The report was released a day after students returned to Santa Fe High School for the first time since the May 18 shooting that killed eight students and two substitute teachers.
The recommendations follow three days of mostly closed-door meetings last week that Abbott organized after the shooting. The staunch gun-rights supporter met with school districts, shooting survivors and groups on both sides of the gun-control debate, among others.
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