AUSTIN, Texas — Nine months. That’s how much time has passed since a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
During his state of the state address, Gov. Greg Abbott listed school safety as one of his emergency items. Now, two lawmakers have filed bills in the House and Senate to equip every classroom in Texas with a panic button. That would give teachers the power to immediately alert law enforcement during an emergency.
Rep. Shawn Thierry, D-Houston, said the Texas House is proposing $600 million in funding for school safety. The cost of panic buttons could be covered by that allotment.
“The fact that we witnessed children as young as eight and nine years old in this recent mass shooting in Uvalde trying to use their own phones to call law enforcement to let them know that they were still alive, proves how important this technology is,” she said.
An identical bill was filed by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe.
“We need to make sure that our schools have the technology necessary for a fast response for law enforcement,” he said. “Seconds matter.”
This issue hits close to home for both lawmakers, who are worried about their own kids at school.
“Right now, even in this Capitol where I stand, I have more protection, more security, than my 10-year-old daughter does back home in public school,” Rep. Thierry said. “I want to change that, and I know that there are millions of parents that agree.”
"I really worry about a day in the life of for my kids at school, both in public school and in college," Sen. Creigton said. "So, like all parents, wanting a safe learning environment for our kids and our teachers and all involved in our schools, it's something that's on my heart every day."
Creighton said any type of safety measure is on the table this legislative session.
“We're working on setting up a budget where public schools can be successful with changing their architecture and beefing up sort of the hardening of their buildings and making sure they're more secure. There's a lot of discussion about perimeter fences and the way to secure portable buildings,” he said, adding that funding can also go towards mental and behavioral health services.
Ovidia Molina, the president of the Texas State Teachers Association, said she supports anything to make sure students are safe. But she thinks there’s more to be done beyond giving teachers panic buttons.
“We have to make sure that we don't stop at that and that we have gun reforms that are going to keep everybody safe, not just the people in our schools, but in all of our communities,” Molina said.
Many Democrats, including Rep. Thierry, agree and say lawmakers also need to pass stricter gun legislation. But Republicans like Sen. Creighton don’t want to infringe on Second Amendment rights.