A law passed in September 2023 was supposed to require an armed guard at every school campus in Texas. But are there really?

Sept. 1, 2024, marks a year since the implementation of House Bill 3. The state law requires every single school in Texas must have an armed guard on campus unless they file an exception.

Texas lawmakers have mandated armed guards at every public school, panic buttons in classrooms and more staff training.

A bill to increase the state’s support for school safety appears stalled in this month’s special legislative session. But even if it passes, superintendents warn it isn’t enough.

The stuttered and calamitous police response to the Robb Elementary School shooting stunned the entire country and prompted lawmakers to address gaps in police training and response to school shootings. Lawmakers recently passed several laws that add training requirements for officers and call for better coordination in rural counties.

The two chambers have been at odds over property tax relief and school choice, but on Tuesday night, those divisions spilled over into priorities the bodies had previously agreed upon.

Lawmakers have said school safety is a priority this session, but it is still unclear whether they’ll listen to Uvalde families who want to raise the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic guns from 18 to 21.

On Wednesday, a State Representative from San Antonio, Philip Cortez, spoke out about why he decided to return to Texas after heading to Washington D.C. with a group of Democrats protesting the passage of House Bill 3.

That 10-member entity, known as the “Pandemic Disaster Legislative Oversight Committee,” would consist of the lieutenant governor, House speaker and certain committee chairs from both chambers, according to a draft version of the new House Bill 3 obtained by The Texas Tribune. AdThe creation of the oversight committee could represent a major new check on the governor’s powers during a pandemic, which Democrats and some Republicans have criticized over the past year throughout the coronavirus pandemic. House Bill 3 aims to carve out future pandemics from how the state responds to other disasters, such as hurricanes. Fourteen other senators, including three Democrats, have signed on to the two Birdwell measures, Senate Joint Resolution 45 and Senate Bill 1025. AdThe House State Affairs Committee is scheduled to consider House Bill 3 during a hearing Thursday morning.

But the more tricky territory could be reforming the parameters of a state pandemic response. The emergency powers debate will unfold in the aftermath of Abbott’s decisions to lift the statewide mask mandate and allow businesses to reopen at 100% capacity. Ad“A great, conservative victory”As filed, House Bill 3 would carve out future pandemics from how the state responds to other disasters, such as hurricanes. The “Pandemic Liability Protection Act,” to be filed as Senate Bill 6, is also on the list of Senate priorities. “I think that’s important to always include the Legislature as much as possible,” said Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, noting how large and diverse a state Texas is.

KATY, Texas – The president of the Katy Independent School District board released a digital message to parents and staff about September’s achievements, new campuses, how the district will cope with a lowered tax rate, among other topics. Board President Courtney Doyle welcomed students back to the fall semester, saying nearly 84,000 students are enrolled in 68 of its campuses. Tax rate decreaseThe district will be saving its taxpayers this year after board trustees approved a drop in the school tax rate of 5.43 cents per $100 valuation. New name proposal for new campusDuring September’s board meeting, it was recommended for Junior High #17 to be named Bill and Cindy Haskett Junior High for the new campus. Cindy Haskett taught math at Katy Junior High from 1980 until she retired in 2005, culminating 33 years in public education.