Texas House Speaker Joe Straus on Wednesday instructed a House committee to study a potential “red flag” law that would spell out a legal process for family members and law enforcement wanting to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would harm themselves or others. The interim charge was the first that Speaker Straus plans to issue in order to prevent future school shootings and improve the safety of campuses across Texas.
Speaker Straus issued the charge at the request of Governor Greg Abbott, who on Wednesday unveiled his plan to improve school and firearm safety in Texas. In response to Governor Abbott’s request, Speaker Straus issued the following charge Wednesday to the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence: “Review the applicable portions of the state’s penal laws and make legislative recommendations regarding whether existing protective order laws are sufficient or could be amended to include ‘red flag’ or mental health protective orders or whether ‘red flag’ or mental health protective orders should be independently created to allow law enforcement, a family member, a school employee, or a district attorney to file a petition seeking removal of firearms from a potentially dangerous person and providing for mental health treatment for the potentially dangerous person, while preserving the fundamental rights of the Second Amendment and ensuring due process.”
“In the coming days, I will issue other interim charges designed to help prevent another school shooting,” Speaker Straus said. “I also hope that Members of the House will present their own ideas for immediate action and for study before the Legislature meets again. This issue is a priority for the Texas House, and it will remain a priority well into the future.”