AUSTIN, Texas — The former mayor of Uvalde — the South Texas town where a gunman killed 19 elementary school students and two teachers nearly three years ago — this week filed a bill that seeks to better respond to future tragedies.

Republican Rep. Don McLaughlin filed House Bill 33, also known as The Uvalde Strong Act on Monday. In a statement, the lawmaker said hesitation from law enforcement and a lack of communication left victims at Robb Elementary defenseless during the shooting on May 24, 2022. 

The tragedy is considered one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history and has been condemned as a massive failure due to delayed law enforcement response. About 400 officers waited over an hour before confronting the gunman.

HB 33 seeks to create a crisis response policy that includes mandated active shooter training and increased coordination between schools, first responders and local governments.

In the aftermath of a school shooting, the bill will also establish support systems for first responders, post-incident evaluations and “long-term sustainability measures.”

“What happened that day was a failure of duty, leadership, and preparedness,” McLaughlin said. “Law enforcement hesitated, communication broke down, and innocent children and teachers were left defenseless. We must do what we can to ensure these mistakes are never repeated. The Uvalde Strong Act is about guaranteeing that when a crisis strikes, there is no confusion and no delay-only immediate, decisive action to save lives.”

In a press release, McLaughlin thanked Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, for making HB 33 a priority.

McLaughlin was elected to represent House District 80 last November. He succeeded former Democratic Rep. Tracy King, who did not seek reelection.