School Safety A Top Issue As Texas Governor Gives State Of The State Address
AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott is starting a second term declaring school safety one of his few top issues in the wake of a gunman killing 10 people at a high school near Houston last year.
But the Republican gave few specifics Tuesday in his State of the State address to the Texas Legislature. He called for new mental health efforts but made no mention of dedicated safety dollars for schools.
Student Dimitrios Pagourtzis has been charged with capital murder for the attack that left eight students and two substitute teachers dead. Before the 2018 school year began Santa Fe High School installed metal detectors at entrances, hired five additional police officers, and 10 "security assistants" to patrol and monitor hallways.
Gov. Abbott also didn't propose new firearm restrictions in Texas, one of the nation's most gun-friendly states.
Texas lawmakers are in session for the first time since the March 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High.
Florida last year passed a $400 million school safety bill and raised the minimum age to buy rifles after a high school shooting in that state left 17 people dead.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)