The Texas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement after Texas Governor Greg Abbott today announced $105.5 million of newly allocated funding to support additional school safety and mental health initiatives. The funding specifically includes $50 million for bullet-resistant shields; $5.8 million to expand the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) statewide; $4.7 million to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to increase Multisystemic Therapy (MST) across the state, and more.
“Once again, Governor Abbott’s response falls short and is out of touch with the realities of Texas’ gun violence crisis,” said Liz Hanks, a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We need evidence-based solutions to prevent school gun violence, not ineffective measures that militarize our schools. Our leaders should be taking steps like supporting funding for community violence intervention programs and passing extreme risk protection order laws, not just pushing funding that doesn’t fully address the core of the issue.”
In an average year, 3,647 people die and 9,173 people are wounded by guns in Texas. Firearms are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Texas. Gun violence costs Texas $23.7 billion each year, of which $1 billion is paid by taxpayers. Learn more about gun violence in Texas here.