House Mass Violence Prevention & Community Safety RFI Responses: Duty #4

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This report covers the responses House Mass Violence Prevention & Community Safety received for their RFI on Duty #4, relating to evaluations of the ongoing and long-term workforce needs of the state related to cybersecurity, mental health, law enforcement, and related professionals. Invited testimony and public testimony was received. The first 9 pages of this report cover invited testimony, while the remaining 14 cover public testimony. A complete list of the responses for this duty can be found here.

The HillCo report below is a summary of information intended to give you an overview and highlight of the various topics included in the responses. This report does not cover the entirety of each response, but aims to provide an overview of the testimony submitted.

Invited Testimony:

Ronald Acierno, UTHealth Trauma and Resilience Center

Consequences of mass violence events include depression and anxiety
Studies have shown home-based psychotherapy:
- Was as good as the same treatment received in-person
- Saved the patient and the providing institution money and time
- Had higher customer satisfaction ratings compared to in-person care
Most third-party payors, including Medicare, and Medicaid, fail to approve parity of reimbursement for the same mental health treatment provided via telehealth
Currently working on National “Path Forward” efforts for reimbursement parity of mental health vs. in-person care
Need to increase availability of evidence-based psychotherapy because there is no current there is not mass violence perpetration psychological profile
A commonality among perpetrators is untreated mental health problems; perpetrators did not receive evidence-based psychotherapy treatment
Need to increase training in evidence-based psychotherapy by leveraging existing infrastructure of the State
Should address gaps in insurance coverage with supplemental funding for mental health needs in the State

Response to General Questions for all Designated Parties from Representative Blanco:

What specific statutory recommendations could you make to improve long-term workforce needs in your area?
- There are more survivors of interpersonal violence than there are counselors who provide evidence-based mental health care
- Recommends supplemental funding for VOCA and VAWA federal pass through service and training projects currently managed by the state’s Office of the Attorney General
What barriers of entry do you see in your field and do you have recommendations on addressing those?
- The state clinical psychology licensing process, including the requirement of a two-year provisional status, limits providers who want to relocate to Texas
- The lack of parity reimbursement for telehealth services limits its use; the Governor and Medicaid issued temporary parity requirements during COVID-19, but they will expire
Are there examples from other states that you have seen to help improve the long-term workforce needs in your respective areas?
- Has experience from the Department of Veteran Affairs
- VA provides a good example of using telemental health technology to address workforce needs
How has the surge in gun violence, mass violence, domestic terror threats impacted the training and education of professionals in your areas? Is there any focus on addressing, preventing, or identifying these threats in your profession’s education and training?
- Need more training in evidence-based treatments for PTSD and secondary depression
- The National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center offers training/resources and could be contracted to help provide community response option
- Need to make mental health resources more generally available for victims and potential perpetrators
What policy recommendations, based on your experience, training, and education, would you make to prevent or deter future mass violence incidences?
- More widely available mental health treatment through reimbursement parity for telemental health services
Can you elaborate on the role your profession can play in helping prevent mass gun violence?
- Is a clinical psychologist who studies effective treatments for depression, PTSD and other disorders
How can recent mass violence incidences inform or update the education and training requirements in your respective fields?
- There is no profile for those who perpetrate mass violent events; there is a large prevalence of untreated mental health problems
Can you explain how live/active shooter drills might impact the mental and behavioral health of developing children? Is there a better way to prepare or train children for these worst-case scenarios? Or are schools doing more damage than good?
- Unlikely these drills cause severe PTSD, but can cause significant anxiety
- Training for children needs to be empowering to alleviate that anxiety

General Questions for all Designated Parties from Chairman Darby:

What can the state of Texas do to invest in long-term solutions for law-enforcement, mental health, and cybersecurity workforces? Does Texas have shortages in your respective field?
- Workforce shortages will likely be place-dependent; telemental health services could remedy this
Do you have any immediate recommendations for the Select Committee to address the education or training requirements in your specific field?
- Reiterates telemental health reimbursement parity should be approved
- Leverage existing grants (VOCA and VAWA)
- Provide supplemental funding for training and evidence passed psychological services via telehealth

Mark Barden, Sandy Hook Promise

Provides a personal anecdote of their son who was killed in a school shooting
Recommendation 1: Increase students’ safety in school through violence-prevention programs and ensure enough licensed mental health professionals are available to them
- The Sandy Hook Promise’s “Know the Signs” program is offered at no cost to schools
SHP partners with TxSSC; will bring training models to 20 of the TxSCC’s service regions
SHP programs can be permanently integrated into schools thorough SAVE promise clubs
Licensed mental health counselors should be in K-12 schools along with school counselors; specifically, Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) and Social Workers
Currently an imbalance in the ratio between these professionals and the volume of students they serve; starting point should be 1 for every 250 students
Recommends the passage of legislation that mandates evidence-informed or evidence-based violence prevention training for all students
Trainings should cover suicide prevention, violence prevention, and social inclusion
Need to legislate a long-term plan to onboard more licensed mental health professionals
Need less live active shooter drills, which cause high liability costs and there is no evidence they save lives
Recommends closing the stranger-to-stranger loophole and ensuring availability of licensed mental health professionals
Need to close the loophole permitting private guns sales between strangers without a background check
Need to pass legislation that incentivizes entry into the mental health profession, including partnerships between the State and universities/colleges
Recommends Crisis Aversion and Rights Retention Orders and ensure availability of licensed mental health professionals for gun owners in crisis
Crisis Aversion and Rights Retention Orders (both like Extreme Risk Protection Orders) should be put in place by legislation

Andy Bennett, State Chief Information Security Officer at the Texas Department Of Information Resources (“DIR”)

The government’s cyber security safety is at stake
In August of 2019, twenty-three Texas local government entities were subjected to a coordinated attack by ransomware
In May TxDOT and the OCA were both attacked by ransomware
These attacks are detrimental to the state’s overall safety, things including water supply, power grids and operations of an entire constitutional branch of government
Most organizations lack enough of cyber security staff to maintain security
Salaries are increasing in the private sector; the state is at a disadvantage in recruitment and retention
A junior security analyst with less than 5 years of experience can expect an average salary of $112,300
If things do not change, state agencies will continue to struggle and potentially be unable to hire qualified security professionals
Texas government will fall behind in capability and capacity to respond to and protect against cybersecurity threats
Provides an overview of the current IT programs in the university system
There are efforts to bridge the gap in this area of work force, but there are still necessary areas of innovation that need to be made
There is a need for action and innovation to encourage professionals to “answer the call” and join the cybersecurity workforce

Stephen Glazier, UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center

Provides a background on their involvement in the mental health field
The shortage of mental health professionals is contributing to a lack of access of care; improving access to care and treatment can help reduce mass violence
Recommendations:
Expand use of and access to telehealth services in mental health
Telehealth and telemedicine mental health and substance use condition services should be reimbursed at the same rate as in-person services
Promote and expand the existing loan repayment programs; need to explore alternative funding for the THECB repayment programs
Responsibly expand the practice capacity of ARNPs and other practitioners
Need to evaluate reciprocity rules and scope of practice for BHEC licensed professional groups
Create a High School Pipeline through THECB contracts and create health programs like JAMP that include careers and licenses like social work, psychologists, ect.
Provide payment incentives for Medicaid-enrolled behavioral health providers working in rural or underserved areas
Recommends expanding the state’s promotion of, and investment in, the certification of peer support specialists
Recommends expanding graduate education programs for behavioral health professionals
HHSC should consider allowing incremental increases in behavioral health reimbursement rates in fee-for-service and managed care over multiple years
Recommends the committee considers the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council’s report with recommendations to address behavioral health workforce shortages

Stephen Glazier- Exhibit # 1

Exhibit provides statistics compiled by the AACAP showing the percentages of children and adolescents effected by mental health issues and the disparities in licensed professionals

Stephen Glazier – Exhibit # 2

This exhibit is a child and adolescent psychiatrist workforce distribution map; illustrates the counties in Texas that show a severe shortage of CAPs

Greg Hansch, Executive Director, NAMI Texas

Average active shooter experiences 3.6 stressors in year prior to attack including, financial strain, job-related stress, interpersonal conflict, sexual frustration, and/or grief
Only 4% of mass violence can be attributed to mental health issues
Greater emphasis should be placed on discovering and reducing concerning behaviors to reduce mass violence
Workforce shortages primary care providers, educators, police, courts, and mental health providers weaken ability to prevent MV incidents
Texas needs a comprehensive plan to reduce shortages in these fields
Mental health workforce shortages shown through growing population and large rural areas
150+ counties in the state are without licensed psychiatrists and psychologists
Should integrate and fund peer support/group support specialists into both clinical/non-clinical settings to increase early detection of concerning behaviors linked to MV
Recommends that Texas make permanent exemptions for access to telehealth services to increase accessibility
Recommends changing current Texas law preventing health care providers from sharing critical information with families, especially diagnoses of mental health disorders posing risk of harm to self or others
Recommends Texas amend restrictions on scope-of-practice to expand health care and mental health coverage to rural areas via APRNs
Recommends increased funding for mental health student loan repayment programs, such as THECB, substantially increased to provide strong incentive for students
Texas should require that private insurance “robustly” cover mental health care and expand Medicare to low-income adults
Recommends increased funding and oversight of said program
Recommends that HHSC and TDI develop and maintain standard compliance rules, require private insurance to comply with parity rules in standard compliance, empower regulators to identify parity violations and engage in corrective action to prevent future violations
Mental health services should be incorporated into primary care. Texas could do this by establishing a Medicaid billing code to promote integration
Texas should increase funding and support for Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) treatments in the state to improve access and care opportunities for sufferers of First Episode Psychosis (FEP)
Texas should integrate mental health professionals and paramedics into police units responding to mental health calls
Texas should expand the Emergency Detention Warrant (EDW) issuing authority to qualified professionals outside physicians, incl. mental health professionals, to prevent MV and suicide incidents when possible
Recommends that jail diversion and re-entry programs be adopted to help those with mental health issues rather than continuing the cycle of imprisonment

General Question from Representative Blanco

Can you explain how live/active shooter drills might impact the mental and behavioral health of developing children? Is there a better way to prepare or train children for these worst-case scenarios? Or are schools doing more damage than good?

- Recommends that educational staff be given trauma training (e.g. shooter drills) on how to respond to shootings, but not students
- If students are involved, Recommends drills align with Best Practice Considerations for Schools regarding active shooter and other armed individual drills.

Colleen Horton, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health

Focusing too closely on mental health as a determinate of gun/mass violence obscures the role that public, legal, and medical professionals must play by placing blame on mental health professionals
Distinction between mental illness and societal mental wellness/wellbeing; one can be diagnosed medically and treated, the other cannot
Most MV committed by angry, lonely, or despairing individuals; suffer from societal mental illness, not medical mental illness
Building healthy communities and focusing on wellness should be priority

General Questions for all Designated Parties from Chairman Darby

What can the State of Texas do to invest in long-term solutions for law enforcement, mental health, and cybersecurity workforces? Does Texas have shortages in your respective field?
Do you have any immediate recommendations for the Select Committee to address the education or training requirements in your specific field?
214 counties register as either full/partial HPSA-MH (Health Professional Shortage Area – mental health)
The mental health workforce is aging
Issues include: dislike of Medicaid patients, unequal coverage of professionals, language/culture barriers between Latino and white individuals, low reimbursement, limited experiences for students
Recommends improvements in financial incentives, education and training, and practice-oriented tactics.
Recommends the state develop a specific plan to address the workforce shortages via HHSC
HHSC working groups are good start, but not enough without implementation of the recommendations
Need to especially focus on mental health peer specialists and substance abuse recovery coaches
Recommends increasing loan reimbursement, expand telemedicine, expand substance abuse support for young people, re-evaluate scope of practice rules, and support professional internship sites for mental health students

General Question from Representative Blanco

Can you explain how live/active shooter drills might impact the mental and behavioral health of developing children? Is there a better way to prepare or train children for these worst-case scenarios? Or are schools doing more damage than good?

- Not a mental health clinician; provides a personal anecdote about visiting school during unscheduled lockdown drill
- Believes drills “instills terror” in children

Kevin Lawrence, Texas Municipal Police Association

General Questions for all Designated Parties from Representative Blanco:

What specific statutory recommendations could you make to improve long-term workforce needs in your area?
- The Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program could be more effective in retention/recruitment if it were extended to officers employed before Sep. 1, 2019
- Legislation should be created so officer’s insurers pay for medical exams to determine treatment
- Officers employed in a specific municipality should be allowed to collect signatures for a civil service campaign even if they live in a different municipality
- HB 3894 should be reconsidered to address the conflicts of interest in the civil service commission
What barriers of entry do you see in your field and do you have recommendations on addressing those?
- Money and Politics
Are there examples from other states that you have seen to help improve the long-term workforce needs in your respective area?
- Other states pay higher worker’s compensation benefits
- Texas should increase disability payments to have parity with other states
How was the surge in gun violence, mass violence, domestic terror threats impacted the training and education of professionals in your areas? Is there any particular focus on addressing, preventing or identifying these threats in your profession’s education and training?
- School District Peace Officers/School Resources Officers must complete School Based Law Enforcement Training and a TCOLE approved SBLE Active Shooter Training
What policy recommendations, based on your experience, training, and education, would you make to prevent or deter future mass violence incidences?
- Texas creates a positive perception of law enforcement in young students and allows law enforcement to identify troubled youth and provide them with resources
- Intelligence Sharing systems like the fusion centers allow local, state and federal law enforcement to share information to anticipate and prevent mass violence incidents
Can you elaborate on the role your profession can play in helping prevent mass gun violence?
- Trainings from TMPA educate officers and help them make better decisions in confrontations like Basic Response Survival Training and de-escalation techniques
How can recent mass violence incidences inform or update the education and training requirements in your respective fields?
- There are active shooter and mental health de-escalation trainings available
- TMPA offers these trainings state-wide and now has a virtual reality system, but it is costly and smaller agencies are underfunded

General Questions for all Designated Parties from Chairman Darby:

What can the state of Texas do to invest in long-term solutions for law-enforcement, mental health, and cybersecurity workforces? Does Texas have shortages in your respective field?
- Elected officials should affirm their support for the men and women in law-enforcement and pursue policies to support these individuals; instability puts officers at risk
Do you have any immediate recommendations for the Select Committee to address the education or training requirements in your specific field?
- Training for officers should be based on best practices and facts, rather than fear, to provide the right kind of education and improvements

Jennifer Hackney-Szimanski, CLEAT Public Affairs

Member of a fusion center as a sworn Peace Officer
Fusion centers designed to halt, derail, and intervene in mass casualty attacks
Fusion centers share information and help coordinate local, state, and federal law enforcement responses
Major characteristic of those who commit MV: strange/abnormal behaviors before an attack
Failure to catch these due to family members not reporting
Fusion centers attempt to increase reporting – “see something say something”
Need greater staffing and funding for these centers

General Questions from Rep. Blanco

What policy recommendations, based on your experience, training, and education, would you make to prevent or deter future mass violence incidents?
- Setbacks faced by fusion centers are a result of local politics and private sector compliance with regulations
- State legislation could create standards to avoid these problems
- Critical part of work is integration with mental health professionals
- Provides anecdotes about Austin and El Paso fusion center successes in information gathering and MV prevention

Dr. Jeff Temple, Professor, Licensed Psychologist, Director of the Center for Violence Prevention, UTMB Health

Specific Questions to Dr. Jeff Temple from Rep. Blanco

Can you please explain your recent study that examined the link between mental health and the risk of gun violence?
- Access to firearms, not mental health, is primary predictor of gun violence
- Those with access 18x more likely to threaten violence
- Other than anger/hostility, mental health is unrelated to gun violence
- Limiting access to guns, regardless of mental health, demographics, or prior treatment, is key to reduce gun violence
Do you think your study and its conclusions should affect the education and training of mental health professionals in the future? If so, how so?
- All forms of violence can be prevented by promoting healthy behaviors, teaching socio-emotional learning, and changing toxic social norms
- Recommends stopping attempts to profile next school shooter – its impossible and excludes individuals who need help
- Recommends employing universal primary prevention programs (such as his 4’th R) to reach all young people, incl. potential shooters
How do you think your study can be applied across disciplines in educating and training professionals to help identify risk factors to prevent mass gun violence?
- Mass shooters tend to share hatred of specific groups (e.g. racism/sexism); many had history of domestic violence
- Recommends primary prevention programs as described to change these preconceptions before they become violent
- Recommends funding and promoting programs to decrease anger and increase mindfulness and self-control, incl. changing social norms about women and minorities
- Recommends more strictly enforcing domestic violence laws and current background check laws to prevent those with a history of domestic violence from acquiring firearms
- Recommends empowering families to report dangerous behaviors and allow authorities to temporarily remove weapons from dangerous individuals
- Recommends funding greater research on mass violence and domestic violence to understand risk factors
- Recommends against focusing on mental health as root cause of violence, as this is untrue and stigmatizes those suffering from illnesses
Can you please provide a copy of your study to the committee for its record?
- Attached as Exhibit #1, Dangerous weapons or dangerous people? The temporal associations between gun violence and mental health

General Question from Representative Blanco

Can you explain how live/active shooter drills might impact the mental and behavioral health of developing children? Is there a better way to prepare or train children for these worst-case scenarios? Or are schools doing more damage than good?
- Recommends that resources for these drills be used instead for evidence-based healthy relationship programs to reduce need for said drills in the first place

General Questions for all Designated Parties from Chairman Darby

What can the State of Texas do to invest in long-term solutions for law enforcement, mental health, and cybersecurity workforces? Does Texas have shortages in your respective field?
Do you have any immediate recommendations for the Select Committee to address the education or training requirements in your specific field?
- References and is in full agreement with testimony submitted by the Texas Psychological Association (TPA)
- References and is in full agreement with testimony jointly submitted by TPA, NASW, TAMFT, TCA, and TSCSW

Public Testimony

Alison Boleware, National Association of Social Workers, TX Chapter

Recommends the funding of student loan repayment programs to increase incentives for students
Recommends action to reduce shortages of mental health professionals

Kristen Daugherty, Emergence Health Network

Supports behavioral mental health networks and professionals
Recommends expanding those programs to prevent MV

Gene Ellis, Texas Police Chiefs Association

Recommends that Texas become a NICS Full Point of Contact State to allow police depts access to federal info
Recommends that Texas prevent NICS prohibited individuals from acquiring a gun
Recommends expand Texas law to prevent an individual to provide an NICS prohibited individual with a firearm
Recommends adoption of comprehensive background checks
Recommends adoption of process where private firearm sellers can request NICS database information on potential buyers

Recommends expanding physical and mental health access in criminal justice system
Recommends creation of statewide database of psychiatric referrals
Recommends establishment of mental health courts in every county
Recommends bail reform
Attached copy of TPCA Violent Crime Legislative Briefing Sheet

Jamie Freeny, Mental Health America of Greater Houston

Critical that legislature supports efforts to ensure we are meeting needs of students and setting them up for future success
Social and emotional training is imperative
Shares experience as a classroom teacher with a student who struggled with neglect
Recommended ratio for counselor to students is 1-250 we are currently at 1-1,000
Increasing numbers of counselor would mean an increase in school safety
Recommends restructuring the way school shooting drills are practiced and implemented
Drills should not include simulations that mimic an actual shooting
Info should be relayed to parents/guardians of the dates and tone of any drills
Drills should be created by a team of mental health professionals, law enforcement, teachers and be age appropriate
Drills should be paired with trauma informed approaches
Info should be tracked about the effects of the drills that it has on students so any trauma can be recorded
Behavioral and mental health professionals need to be involved in the planning process of school decisions

Kara Hill, Mental Health America of Greater Houston

Shortage of mental health professionals; psychiatrists are particularly in demand
Need to look beyond traditional mental health
PCP have few viable choices when it comes to accessing mental health services for their patients
PCP’s often are left to offer mental health service themselves and without being reimbursed of payment, but also have a big fear of liability issues when offering these services
Proposes Provider support (aka Provider Enablement) is essential in the development of integrated care and increasing access to care.
Key components of this:
- Training in team-based care
- Learning collabs to share best practices
- Technical assistance to help providers leverage tools and resources
- Fixed financial investments that are not usually reimbursed by Medicaid
- Hire behavioral health providers or physician extenders
Create value-based payment b/w providers and MCOs, allowing MCOs to incentivize providers who are willing to take these steps to integrate physical and behavioral health services to prepare for value-based contracting
Create learning communities to share knowledge through more easily
Update Medicaid billing requirements to allow for Medicaid reimbursement of LPC interns, and LMFT associates
Need to create more opportunity to expand access to integrated health care

Nelson Jarrin, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Offers data-based information and solutions on mental illness and mass violence
Untreated psychotic disorders can increase the risk of violence; other mental issues such as depression and mood disorders do not
Asserts that factors other than mental illness, including ideology, personal grievance, and antisocial character traits are the most common factors motivating MV
Asserts that psychosis drives violence (increases rate of homicide by 15%)
Recommends Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) to offer intensive treatment after psychotic episodes
Recommends Multisystemic Therapy (MST) to treat youth who have committed violent offenses, have serious mental health or substance abuse concerns, are at risk of out-of-home placement, or have experienced abuse and neglect

Jessica Magee, Texas Psychological Association

Writes to stress the importance of liability protection for mental health providers who report threatening patients
Points out that the threat of litigation often deters providers from reporting dangerous patients
Supports unpassed HB 461; offers immunity to mental health providers that report in good faith

Sean Maika, Superintendent of Northeast ISD

Suggests adopting the Handle with Care program (school officials are recommended to handle childhood victims of trauma with care)
Suggests adopting the SAPD Mental Health Unit and expanding it to non-adults (help to deescalate mental health crises and connect people with the mental health services they need)

Lee Spiller, Citizens Commission on Human Rights-Texas

Believes that mental health equals violence is a circular argument
Emphasizes common stressors over mental illness
Recommends careful consideration of focus on threat assessment and school monitoring; potential for cybersecurity risks is high
Recommends careful consideration of use of AI or “machine learning” in mental health assessments
Recommends supporting community collaboration to address basic stressors correlated with mass violence incidents
Recommends improved de-escalation training for police officers and law enforcement
More detailed recommendations attached

Gyl Switzer – Executive Director, Texas Gun Sense

Recommends common-sense and evidence-based policies to reduce gun injury and death
Recommends health care providers are trained to screen for suicide risk, safe gun storage, and domestic violence
Recommends state passage of ERPOs and professional training on ERPOs for health care and law enforcement workers
Recommends investment in gun violence prevention research

Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston

Regarding Chairman Darby’s question about law enforcement workforce shortage

Recommends passing HB 1091 to give Legal Permanent Residents who have served in the US Military the ability to become Texas Peace Officers to increase multilingual law enforcement

Alan Anderson, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Trevor Avery, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Recommends Constitutional Carry, ending gun-free zones, and ending Red Flag Laws to promote safety

Chris Baimbridge, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

James Barger, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Recommends easing restrictions to increase gun ownership to increase safety

William Barton, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd, 14^th, 15^th amendment rights

Thomas Bartram, Self

Questions jurisdiction of the committee; concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Thomas Bazan, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights
Opposes Sanctuary Cities

Paul Beattie, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights; provides an overview of California’s gun related laws

David Belluomini, Self

Retired police Captain; concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights
Concerned calls for police reform will create worse violence and more crime

Steven Boehm, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Bradley Bogue, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights
Believes mental illness is to blame for mass shootings

John Bolgiano, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

William Bowen, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Kenneth Boyles, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Cecil Brewer, Self

Disagrees with results of Dr. Temple’s study (Jeff Temple, Exhibit #1) regarding threatening others with a firearm
Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Wayne Bridgeman, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Mark Browning, Self

Concerned about infringement of 2^nd amendment rights

Felisha Bull, Gun Owners of America

Submitted study from Dr. John Lott and Dr. Carlisle Moody, Do Red Flag Laws Save Lives or Reduce Crime?
Study concludes that these laws do not save lives; suggests that rape rates increase

Molly Bursey, Self

Member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Supports preventative efforts to reduce access to firearms to lessen mass violence attacks

John Carter, Self

Reporting theft of Trump campaign merchandise; concerned with civil unrest in the country

William Cawthon, Self

Provides graph depicting murder rates in Texas declining, marked with open carry passage

Recommends mental health officials be included in mental health calls and recommends continuation of “see something, say something” policies

Robert Chalmers, Self

Concerned about infringement on 2^nd amendment rights

Opposes universal background checks/gun registration and Red Flag Laws

Jeff Chan, Self

Concerned about infringement on 2^nd amendment rights
Supports Constitutional Carry

Kenneth Cleghorn, Self

Supports ownership of firearms and concealed carry laws for self-defense
Concerned about infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, especially Red Flag Laws

Teresa Cleghorn, Self

Supports teacher carry, constitutional carry, and ending gun-free zones
Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, especially Red Flag Laws

David Cowart, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights

William Cuthbertson, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights

Joe Darnell, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, esp. RF laws

Ashlyn Davis, Self

Expresses concern about NRA
Attached NRA email correspondence concerning the Committee

Cal Dean, Self

Believes background checks will not solve gun violence
Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, esp. RF laws

Benjamin Delamater, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights

Brent Doty, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights
Believes firearms should be promoted for self defense

Jason Dusek, Self

Believes that treating all gun use the same, responsible, or irresponsible, is a mistake
Recommends expanding auxiliary police forces to increase interaction with public and police

John Edeen, DRGO

References own work on potential threats of terror attacks in hospitals, believes armed individuals will prevent this
Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, especially RF laws

Rachel Edmondson, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, especially RF laws

Leonard Elbon, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd amendment rights, especially RF laws
Recommends training and encouraging citizens to own guns

David Elliot, Self

Supports gun ownership for self defense, constitutional carry, and ending gun free zones
Does not support Red Flag Laws or expanding background checks

Royce A. Engler, Self

Agrees with the need for mental health resources, but disagrees for stricter gun control laws
Believes that no law will stop criminals from breaking the law; additional gun restrictions are not necessary

Ron Farace, Self

Believes that gun free zones should be eliminated, Red Flag Laws infringe upon rights and does not support expanding background checks
Is not supportive of defunding police, is concerned about his 2^nd amendment rights

Harry Ferguson, Self

Wants to protect his family without going through a lot of paperwork

Concerned about his 2^nd amendment rights, not support of defunding the police

Dr. Nathan Fleer, Self

Shares personal anecdote; says gun free zones leave people, especially women, more vulnerable
Does not support Red Flag Laws, expanding background checks, or gun free zones

Chris Freeman, Self

Wants more concentration on passing constitutional carry and ending gun free zones in Texas

Eric Frodsham, Self

Does not want to see any restrictions any gun laws including “red flag gun laws”
Does not want his second amendment right to be infringed upon

Michael Gargano, Self

Should support law enforcement by enforcing existing laws and vigorously prosecuting criminals
Should eliminate gun free zones in Texas; supports gun education in schools

Robert Goates, Self

Opposed to any additional restrictions on ownership or use of firearms

Carmen Guarco, Self

Does not support additional gun laws
Shares story about living where gun are illegal, had higher rate of crime with no way for people to defend themselves

William Hamilton III, Self (submission 1)

Problem is not gun control, problem is people illegally getting guns, stricter gun laws won’t help solve this issue

William Hamilton III, Self (submission 2)

Red Flag Laws are a violation of several Constitutional Protections

Richard Hanson, Self

Need to consistently enforce current laws, use the “broken window” concept, and eliminate gun free zones; opposes Red Flag Laws and universal background checks
Private businesses and corporations should be allowed to determine if firearms are allowed

William Harger, Self

Red Flag Laws are unconstitutional
Concerned with his 2^nd amendment rights being infringed upon

Richard Hayes, Self

Recommendation for committee is to enforce the laws that already exist
Need to provide training and education to our law enforcement agencies on Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 573

Mark Haynes, Self

Should eliminate gun free zones; red flag or extreme risk protection order laws are ineffective
Disagrees with Dr. Jeff Temple and Mark Barden

Warren Heibert, Self

Not in support of any law, rule, or regulation that will hinder the existing gun rights of citizens

Brian Hill, Self

Texas needs constitutional carry and the elimination of Gun Free Zones
Does not support Red Flag Laws, expansion of background checks, or creating a registry for private sales

Joel Hill, Self

Believes that Red Flag Laws have already led to several innocent deaths
Gun free zones do not curb the violence; reductions of rights do not benefit the people

Peter Hinkle, Self

Finds most firearm laws extraneous and in violation of American freedoms
Opposes red flag confiscation orders, No-Knock Warrants and the militarization of the police

Bradley Hodges, Self

Considers recent “mass violence” (BLM, Antifa, overall protesting, rioting, and looting) to be a grave source of public danger
Opposes gun control disarmament to protect citizens from the supposed public safety risk

Steven J. Horn, Self

Opposes Red Flag Laws and background checks on private sales; supports constitutional carry
Proposes regulating the insurance industry and requiring them to promote and cover mental health treatments

Terri Horne, Open Carry Texas

Supports school staff and parents carrying firearms under the Guardian Program
Supports Constitutional/ No Permit Carry laws; opposes Red Flag Laws

Cheryl House, Self

Opposes Red Flag Laws; supports open carry for those who can legally acquire a handgun

Terry Hughes, Self

Supports greater in-school education on first aid and trauma
Supports firearm safety training in schools; supports concealed carry on school campus

David Hutsell, Self

Opposes taxpayer funds going towards abortion

Stephen Jewel, Self

Comments on the ineffectiveness of Red Flag Laws
Concerned with infringement of Second Amendment Rights

John Kaelin, Self

Considers Red Flag Laws to be unlawful seizure of private property

Hal Kauffeldt, Self

Asserts that government should use factual model when evaluating laws that may infringe on Constitutional Rights

William Kein Self

Does not support Red Flag Laws
Predicts Universal Background Checks will lead to registration of all firearms by the government

Dallas Kennedy, Self

Acknowledges the lack of psychiatric facilities and other mental health resources in West Texas and advocates for greater preventative care
Advocates for school personnel forming an emergency response team and more mental health deputies in law enforcement

John D. Kinman, Self

Points out Dr. Temple’s contradictory statements and discredits him as a source

Brett Kirkpatrick, Self

Advocate for expanded mental health laws/treatment and mental health data sharing between institutions to prevent mass violence
Considers “Red Flag Laws” and firearm transfer restrictions to not comprehensively address mass violence

Rich Klauzinski, Self

Believes that any restrictions on where/how law-abiding Texas citizens use guns should be removed
concerned about 2^nd Amendment Rights
opposes Red Flag Laws, bans on semi-automatics, and universal background checks)

Susan and Bob Krudwig, Selves

Supports pro Second Amendment reform

Nathan Kuhn, Self

Opposes any Red Flag Confiscation laws, bans on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, limits on standard capacity magazines, and any so-called “universal” background checks
Believes any gun control law disarms innocent citizens

Robert LaGrone, Self

Supports bolstering and enhancing law enforcement
Opposes Red Flag Laws

Billy Lannom, Self

Concerned with infringement of Second Amendment Rights (particularly with regards to Red Flag Laws)
Points out problems with Dr. Temple’s methodologies

Benedict LaRosa, Self

Considers Red Flag Laws and universal background checks in violation of civil liberties
Suggests: the FBI provide a list of prohibited persons rather than require background checks for gun purchases and elimination of gun-free zones

Susan Lender, Self

Discusses one incident wherein the Red Flag law promoted injustice and opines that this law does not prevent mass violence

Paul Linkins, Self

Suggests that universal background checks do nothing to deter crime but make it more difficult for the law-abiding citizen to obtain and also equates them to a tax
Asserts EPOS like the Red Flag Law often violate civil liberties because of how they are regarded legally

Ronnie Maeker, Self

Suggests Constitutional Carry should be the law of the land because Federal law takes precedent over state law
Supports background checks
Notes that crime goes down in well-armed areas

Kirk Mahoney, Self

Supports mental health reform as the principle solution
Supports molding law enforcement training to best practices
Supports police knocks on doors to affirm presence of authority

Rachel Malone, Gun Owners of America

Affirms the need for law enforcement and related services
Suggests welcoming citizens to be their own first defenders
Warns against using a mental health assessment to unjustly deprive people of their guns
Suggests Texas stops requiring a permit to carry a gun for “honest” citizens
Suggests that Texas eliminates gun free zones

Sarah Malone, Self

Opposes gun free zones, particularly schools as gun free zones

Michael Manion, Self

Recommends creating a class of citizens that is highly trained (literally make them into a militia)
Implies Red Flag Laws and gun bans are poorly written and criminalize innocent people

Steve May, Self

Concerned with infringement on 2^nd Amendment and gun rights
Invokes fear of tyrannical government and need for American people to defend themselves (American Revolution, Venezuela, etc.)
Recommends school reform: (history and government, life management, heroes to emulate)

William McNichols, Self

Advises against gun free zones
Opposes Red Flag Laws because it renders people defenseless
Opposed to people having guns unjustly taken away because of a mental health assessment

Joseph Mumme, Self

In favor of a fully unrestricted 2^nd Amendment

Jade Naaman, Self

Believes gun free zones are a myth
Believes magazine size limits are illogical because then the attacker is in a better position
Asserts UBC is flawed because it creates an easily abused registry of guns, requires a lot of paper work, and discriminates against convicts
Finds Extreme Risk Protection Orders to be unconstitutional

Pete Nelms, Self

Claims anti-gun legislation punishes only law-abiding citizens

David Nelson, Self

Claims that Red Flag Laws obstruct due process
Opposes No-Knock Warrants

Tony Overdirth, Self

Feels Red Flag Laws violate constitutional rights
Encourages enforcement of all laws on the books

John Overstreet, Self

Suggests a clause that requires Texas residents to carry a Texas LTC to carry

Benson Owens, Self

Opposes gun free zones and opposes new gun laws

Randy Parker, Self

Supports strengthening cyber-security to protect ongoing records
Supports accountability for law enforcement officers and the people they serve
Advocates to not make legislation relating to subjective clinical assessments of mental health

Dennis Peck, Self

Fears infringement on his Concealed Carry permit, particularly with regards to hunting
Opposes infringement on Second Amendment Rights

Billy Pirkle, Self

Opposes gun free zones

Donald Potts, Self

Comments that Red Flag Laws infringe on Second Amendment Rights
Advocates for intervention in the mentally ill population

Paul Price, Self

Supports firearm safety and handling education in public school curriculum
Supports increased mental health resources for those convicted
Opposes “gun free zones” and universal background checks

William Robbins, Self

Opposed to any gun regulation laws that effect lawful gun owners

Stacey Roberts, Self

Opposes gun restrictions imposed by the government, especially the Red Flag Laws, and supports individual ownership and expansion of gun rights
Disagrees with testimony from Dr. Temple and 3 R’s program

Burnell Russell, Self

Opposes Red Flag Laws
Should be more effective treatment of accused criminals with mental health issues to prevent cycles of violent crime

Alex Saez, Self

Supports repeal of mandatory gun-free zones
Mental health assessments can be subjective and may restrict gun access unfairly

Bill Sapp, Self

Opposes red flag law and any infringement of 2^ndamendment rights

Eric Schafer, Self

Suggests focusing law enforcement resources on violent crimes rather than those “on paper”
Suggests arming Texans to provide self-defense and to deter criminals
Need to educate students on gun safety, gun laws, and gun operation and marksmanship

Sandra Sears, Self

Opposes any increase in gun control and supports open carry to allow citizens to protect themselves
Suggests scrutiny of data that may be skewed to support gun control

Sean Sheridan, Self

Supports removing restrictions on LTC holders from carrying concealed arms in K-12 schools, including those employed by the district
School Marshall and Guardian programs, school resource officers, and armed guards are all costly to school districts and response times are inhibited

Thomas Shimer, Self

Opposes any additional legislation that restricts gun ownership, including Red Flag Laws
Supports legislation that would expand gun ownership and its protection for current and future owners

Larry Skidmore, Self

Supports strengthening laws for individual rights for firearm ownership regardless of use
Opposes any additional gun control legislation, including Red Flag Laws

Darlene Stegall, Self

Recommends allowing teachers to carry firearms
Opposes gun-free zones

John Stiles, Self

Concerned with infringement of 2^ndAmendment rights

Charles Tompkins, Self

Believes moral degradation has contributed to higher crime and violence in the US
Opposes Red Flag Laws

Daniel Truxal, Self

Concerned with infringement of 2^nd Amendment rights

Donald Upchurch, Self

Recommends resources and systems to prevent: cybercrime/hacking and to identify and treat those with serious mental illnesses/disorders
Recommends training and resources for law enforcement to enforce laws against cybercrime and reduce presence of mentally ill on streets

Gilberto Valencia, Self