Austin, Texas is the latest battleground for a new bill aimed at enhancing school safety measures in the state. Texas House Bill 13 proposes to provide up to $25,000 stipends to public school employees who complete mental health training and state-approved programs to carry firearms on campus. Authored by Republican State Rep. Ken King, the legislation focuses on “training, preparedness, and funding for school safety and emergencies.
HB 13 seeks to empower districts to create a safety plan that best serves their local community while ensuring a minimum standard for all. “In light of the tragedies that have occurred in Texas schools over the past years, HB 13 allows districts to create a safety plan that works best for their local community while ensuring a minimum standard for all,” said King in a tweet.
The so-called Sentinel program, which would be separate from the already established Guardian and School Marshall programs, is designed to help prevent tragic events from happening in the future. The bill is now headed to the Senate for approval.