Improved response to mass shooting is goal of ‘Uvalde Strong' bill approved by Texas Legislature
House Bill 33 would mandate law enforcement agencies across the state to create crisis response policies. This stems from the shooting in Uvalde, where nearly 400 law enforcement officers waited more than an hour before confronting the shooter who barricaded himself in a classroom. That delay went against nationwide active shooter protocols and was widely criticized as the shooting was investigated.
During the discussion on the Senate floor, state Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, stressed the importance of the bill, named the Uvalde Strong Act. Flores reminded lawmakers that the bill won unanimous approval in the Texas House.
'This bill is carrying out what we feel should be done to make sure the response of Texas is coordinated, professional, efficient and humane throughout the state,' Flores said.
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, called it a good bill. However, he also told lawmakers a delayed response from law enforcement happened at Uvalde.
'There was a failure at every level,' Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez went over some of the chaos that day, including how one victim died in the parking lot because there was too much traffic from police vehicles. Gutierrez said they need to improve 'common sense' gun safety solutions and how people are taken care of after mass tragedies. Gutierrez said the families of the victims received less money from the Attorney General's office than any other mass shooting in the state.
'Sadly, this will happen again, no matter how many pieces of legislation we put up,' Gutierrez said. 'Until we begin to truly look at the root problems that are hurting us in this state on gun violence.'
In a statement, McLaughlin said the bill ensures confusion and hesitation will never be an excuse again.
'It demands clear command, real-time coordination, and immediate actions when lives are on the line. We can't undo the past, but today we made sure Texas is ready for the future,' McLaughlin said.
The bill has several requirements in it that could create a more organized response to another mass shooting. It would require school districts and law enforcement to meet annually and plan their response to an active shooter situation and mandate officers to complete a training program on how to respond to an active shooter at primary and secondary schools. It would also provide training grants for officers.
McLaughlin, who was critical of the response to the shooting in Uvalde, also included in his bill a requirement that policy and emergency medical service providers file a report detailing the event if they respond to an active shooter scene. The report would be due no later than 60 days after an incident — a requirement aimed at giving the public faster information on mass shootings.
'This is a good bill for school safety, law enforcement coordination, communication and training,' McLaughlin said.
The Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde is the deadliest shooting at a Texas public school. Families of the victims have sued officers and law enforcement agencies over the failed response, including 92 officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Former Uvalde schools police Chief Pete Arredondo and one of his former officers were also charged with multiple counts of child endangerment.
Investigations into the shooting revealed an uncoordinated response among law enforcement officers responding to the shooting. Officers reportedly waited for instructions, couldn't find the right keys to enter classrooms, and were fearful of an AR-15 style rifle as there was a lack of ballistic shields and flash-bangs.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
14 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Jay Clayton Approved by Judges as Interim Manhattan US Attorney
Interim Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton avoided a protracted fight over his temporary appointment when a group of judges approved him to serve in the post pending confirmation as a permanent prosecutor by the US Senate. Clayton was appointed by President Donald Trump on April 21 and his temporary term expires within 120 days under federal law. Judges in the Southern District of New York have appointed Clayton to serve until a US Attorney nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate takes office, according to a statement from the court's district executive.
The Hill
33 minutes ago
- The Hill
Scholten drops out of Iowa Senate race, endorses fellow state rep
Iowa State Rep. J.D. Scholten (D) announced Monday he is suspending his campaign for U.S. Senate and endorsing fellow State Rep. Josh Turek (D) in his bid to unseat incumbent Sen. Joni Ernst (R). 'Today I am suspending my campaign. I know this may come as a surprise but I made this decision because I think it's in the best interest of Iowans and myself,' Scholten said in a statement. 'From the very beginning, I thought a prairie populist athlete from Western Iowa would be the best candidate to win in the General election,' he continued. 'I still do, but instead of me, I have complete confidence that Josh Turek can take this on. That's why I am suspending my campaign and endorsing him.' Turek, a two-time Paralympics gold medalist for Team USA, announced last week he's entering the crowded Democratic primary to unseat Ernst in the 2026 midterm race. Scholten, who launched his Senate bid in early June, said his decision to end his campaign was 'founded on friendship,' pointing to their shared values and extensive history working together in the state Legislature. 'Ultimately, I decided he could carry the issues I deeply care about — universal health care, breaking up monopolies that are hurting farmers and consumers, getting special interests out of politics. As his friend, I'm proud to support him,' he added. Scholten made clear that he decided independently to drop out of the race and did not feel pressure to do so. 'I want to stress this is a decision of my own accord. I'm ending my campaign because I believe it's the right thing. I want Joni Ernst to be held accountable for her failed leadership. I want Democrats to win and I know we will if we elect Josh Turek,' he said. Ernst, who is seeking a third term next year, won reelection against a Democratic challenger by roughly 7 points in 2020. Republicans have long held on to Iowa's Senate seats, and President Trump won the state by 13 points in November. Scholten will join Turek for a campaign event Monday evening to formally announce the endorsement, Turek's campaign said. 'I am honored to have the support of J.D.,' Turek said in a statement. 'Over the last several years, J.D. and I have fought alongside one another in the state legislature to lower costs for Iowa's families, to make health care more affordable and accessible, to make housing more affordable, and to make life a little bit easier and a little bit better for Iowa's families.' 'We have an incredible opportunity to beat Joni Ernst in 2026, and I'm proud to join forces with J.D.,' he continued.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Handwritten proof of Holocaust theft should compel Congress to act
In 1944, Hungarian officials sat down with pen and paper and recorded by hand the seizure of 90 Torah scrolls from Jewish families. This was not wartime chaos, but deliberate, state-organized cultural erasure. That document, buried for decades in microfilm archives, was recently made public for the first time through the Holocaust Art Recovery Initiative. It is a single page, handwritten in a steady but chilling script. It doesn't describe battles or casualties. It inventories sacred scrolls stolen from Jews who were soon to be deported. These 90 Torahs were part of a larger pattern of thousands of cultural, artistic and religious items looted by Nazi-allied regimes across Europe. In Hungary alone, tens of thousands of Jewish-owned artworks, books and ceremonial objects were systematically stolen, catalogued and in many cases absorbed into state museum collections. Families were erased. Their heritage was buried — sometimes literally. Today, many of those items remain in public institutions. And in the U.S., survivors and their heirs often face insurmountable legal barriers when trying to recover what was taken. That's why Congress must pass the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act Improvements of 2025, a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and in the House by Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.). This legislation would strengthen and extend the original HEAR Act, first passed in 2016, which was designed to ensure Holocaust restitution claims could be heard on their merits. That law is set to expire in 2026. Without swift action, survivors and families may permanently lose access to justice. New evidence like the handwritten Torah document reinforces the urgency. This isn't theoretical. It's tangible. And it speaks to a broader truth: The Holocaust wasn't just a genocide of people — it was a systematic looting of culture, identity and memory. The legal fight is not easy. As recent cases like Republic of Hungary v. Simon demonstrate, foreign sovereign immunity laws, expired statutes of limitations and bureaucratic stonewalling have made it nearly impossible for families to recover what was taken. The HEAR Act Improvements of 2025 addresses these very challenges, extending the timeline and reinforcing the right to be heard in U.S. courts. More than 25 national organizations have endorsed the legislation, including the World Jewish Restitution Organization and the Claims Conference. They rightly note that each object stolen represents not just property, but a life interrupted — and a legacy denied. Restitution is not about money. It is about dignity. It is about accountability. And, yes, it is about history. When lawmakers see the original documents — handwritten proof of cultural theft — they begin to understand why this work cannot wait. Congress still has time to do the right thing. But the clock is ticking, and the handwriting is on the page. Jonathan H. Schwartz is a litigation partner at Taft-Detroit and co-founder of the Holocaust Art Recovery Initiative. He also serves as president emeritus of the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan and recently authored an evidence report on Hungarian Holocaust-era art theft.
