/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/dmn/YFTZO5KT7RCXLBHL5AE3G6GQWQ.JPG?w=1068&resize=1068,0&ssl=1 "Speaker Phelan taps brakes on Lt. Gov. Patrick’s $50M request bulletproof shields")
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AUSTIN — Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan indicated Monday that he desires to attend on a proposal from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calling for $50 million to outfit police with bulletproof shields to fight mass shootings.
In an announcement to The Dallas Morning News, Phelan appeared poised to position on Patrick’s request for the cash on maintain for now. Patrick had requested that the Legislative Budget Board reallocate $50 million within the present state finances to start outfitting hundreds of law enforcement officials with shields to forestall faculty shootings.
Phelan didn’t fully rule out the concept, however he indicated that the House would wait till the completion of assorted investigations and hearings, together with an investigative committee he fashioned final week to look at the police response to the Robb Elementary School capturing. The committee is ready to carry its first listening to Thursday.
“While discussions are already underway in the Texas House about how to respond to the school shooting in Uvalde, there are also ongoing investigations into the details of this horrific event — and we will be utilizing those findings to determine how state resources should be allocated if we are to prevent another tragedy like this from occurring,” Phelan mentioned.
Patrick had requested Phelan to hitch Senate leaders in signing off on a finances switch that might have moved thousands and thousands to both the governor’s workplace or the Texas Department of Public Safety to being shopping for bulletproof shields.
Patrick’s workplace didn’t instantly return a message searching for remark Monday.
Phelan mentioned shields may very well be a part of the response to the capturing.
“While providing bulletproof shields for school law enforcement is likely to be part of that solution, the House will be taking additional school safety strategies into account, such as the enhancing of school ‘hardening’ measures and increasing the number of officers at schools,” he mentioned.