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Gov. Greg Abbott鈥檚 plan to curb school shootings has championed by an El Paso Democrat, State . The idea is called a 鈥渞ed flag law.鈥�
Moody says his proposed legislation calls for a mechanism by which a person who is in crisis, and poses an eminent danger to themselves or others when guns are present, would lose access to their firearms. He says similar laws exist in other states, and at the federal level.
鈥淐ertainly, when I came to it, we were thinking of it on the mental health front 鈥� suicide prevention 鈥� it certainly could help prevent or curb mass shootings as well,鈥� Moody says.
He says he鈥檚 grateful that the idea has gained bipartisan support in light of the Santa Fe High School shooting. When he proposed a red flag law during the last legislative session, he didn鈥檛 get enough support to pass it.
鈥淯nfortunately, the response was fairly predictable,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here [were] accusations that it was a gun grab, or a gun confiscation bill 鈥� that there was no due process, that there were constitutional concerns. Unfortunately, that kind of rhetoric, which was false, and incorrect about the bill just stalled things out.鈥�
Moody has a mixed reaction to other elements of the governor鈥檚 40-point school safety plan, calling some of it 鈥渟hortsighted.鈥�
鈥淕iving training, and putting money into arming teachers and other personnel 鈥� I don鈥檛 know that that should be a priority,鈥� Moody says. 鈥淚 think there are security forces that exist in local communities that you can help equip... to handle these situations.鈥�
Moody does support better training for those who are already charged with keeping schools safe, and says he appreciates the governor鈥檚 interest in addressing the issue of school violence.
鈥淚鈥檓 just glad that there鈥檚 a conversation going on,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his was a nonstarter last session, across the board.鈥�
Written by Shelly Brisbin.
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