AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The Texas Senate has approved legislation that would require the state’s schools to develop safety plans and would provide access to increased mental health resources to help prevent campus shootings.
The measure responds to the May 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School near Houston that killed eight students and two substitute teachers and wounded 13 others.
The plan calls for school districts to create safety committees to work with law enforcement and create campus safety plans to be reviewed by the state.
It also would seek to boost the number of mental health counselors and training for teachers to help identify at-risk students.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration. The Senate also has approved measures that would increase the number of armed school marshals.
