Senate Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention and Community Safety
NOTE: This is archived committee information from the 86th Legislative Session.
Committee Information
CHAIR
Joan Huffman
VICE-CHAIR
Judith Zaffirini
MEMBERS
Donna Campbell
Kelly Hancock
Jane Nelson
Charles Perry
José Rodríguez
Larry Taylor
John Whitmire
TEL:
(512) 463-0493
LOCATION:
Sam Houston Building, 455
Video/Audio — Archives
86th Session Interim
- December 4, 2019
- October 30, 2019
- October 21, 2019 (Audio, Video) — Road meeting in El Paso, TX.
- October 17, 2019 (Audio, Video) — Road meeting in Odessa, TX.
- September 26, 2019
Committee Charges
- Learn firsthand, the personal, family, and community impact of mass shootings in Texas by hearing from victims of mass violence in Dallas, Santa Fe, Sutherland Springs, El Paso, and Midland/Odessa. Conduct hearings in Austin, El Paso, and the Midland/Odessa area to meet with victims and their families in those communities.
- Examine ways to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who would not pass a federal background check, while protecting the Second Amendment and Texans' right to bear arms. Examine whether stranger-to-stranger gun sales in Texas should be subject to background checks.
- Consider the role digital media, dark web networks, and overall cultural issues play in the promotion of mass violence and how these contribute to the radicalization of individuals and incitement of racism, white supremacy and domestic terrorism. Research the link between violent video games and recent mass shootings in Texas and examine the impact of the overall fraying culture on mass shootings, including increased violence, tolerance for violence, and extremist views in our society.
- Assess how state and local law enforcement agencies, fusion centers, mental health providers, digital platforms and social media companies such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., can better collaborate to detect, prevent, and respond to mass violence and terroristic activity. Examine what resources, staffing and protocols are necessary to enhance these partnerships and whether state funding is needed to assist local authorities in this endeavor.
- Determine the effectiveness of current laws that are used for timely reporting of criminal history information, emergency protective orders, and other threat indicators to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who would not pass a federal firearms background check. Review workforce and resource challenges impeding current laws and identify accountability measures needed for law enforcement, courts, firearm distributors, and private sellers who fail to follow reporting requirements under current law.
- Study whether the state’s interest in public safety and its ability to deter violence and dangerous conduct is enhanced by prohibiting individuals from wearing masks to intimidate others, incite violence, or engage in criminal activity, while protecting First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion.
- Monitor the implementation of Gov. Greg Abbott’s eight executive orders to prevent further mass shootings issued on September 5, 2019, and determine whether changes in law, policies, or resources are necessary to support these initiatives.
