Republican Congressman Roger Williams of Austin made a stop at the new Bee Cave Middle School in the Lake Travis Independent School District on Wednesday to discuss details of his ‘School Violence Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2019.’ The bill, which Williams says was initially crafted following the shootings in both Parkland, Florida and Santa Fe, Texas, would create a federal grant program which would funnel billions of dollars into public schools across the nation.
“In the greatest country on Earth, no parent should fear sending their child to school, and no child or educator should fear for their own safety in the classroom,” Williams said.
The legislation is said to have plenty of bipartisan support. Through the bill, school districts would be able to identify the areas in which their facilities need security upgrades, and the money provided would be used to implement those changes, effectively hardening each campus.
“The bill authorizes $2-billion over ten years to be directly invested in our schools for the hard security improvements they desperately need,” he said.
The bill also includes a provision that would implement a direct line to local law enforcement in the event of a shooting, or other major incident.
“It will help more schools utilize silent alarm systems that directly alert law enforcement of a school security emergency,” Williams said.
Lake Travis ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Lancaster praised Williams for his effort, and expressed his gratitude for the time lawmakers have spent crafting this legislation.
“Congressman Williams has been a longstanding and good friend to our school district. He and his staff are so available to us, and we are grateful for his leadership.”
