Texans will have access to timely alerts surrounding active shooters later this year thanks to the passage of the Leilah Hernandez Act.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill on May 25 to establish a new active shooter alert system, which will work similarly to Amber alert notifications.
The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) and named after the youngest victim of the August 2019 mass shootings that occurred in Midland and Odessa. The measure received universal support from both sides of the aisle throughout the legislative process.
"I’m proud of this bill because it will help save lives, empower individuals against would-be killers, and protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding Texans," Landgraf said in a May 25 Facebook post.
The legislation establishes a new alert system that will send out a timely warning to people in the event that an active shooter situation takes place in their area.
“With the Leilah Hernandez Act, the Lone Star State will now have an Active Shooter Alert System that will notify Texans of violent threats in their communities and help save lives. We will never forget the lives tragically cut short in the Midland-Odessa shooting," said Gov. Abbott in a statement.
The system will be developed through a collaborative effort between the Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement, the Department of Transportation, the governor’s office, and other state agencies, according to the bill.
"This alert system could have saved the lives of some of my constituents back in 2019, like high school student Leilah Hernandez,” Landgraf said.
In addition to sending out alerts to mobile phones via SMS message, the active shooter warnings will also be broadcast on other available communication channels, such as local television and radio.
Though the act has been officially signed into law, the Department of Public Safety will now need to begin developing the alert system. It is scheduled to go into full effect Sept. 1.
The Leilah Hernandez Act, also known as House Bill 103, is the first piece of legislation signed into law to address the numerous mass shootings that have taken place in the state since 2019. It passed the House by a vote of 146-0 in April and then went on to receive unanimous support by the Senate.
"The goal of this legislation is to save lives and prevent mass violence while protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding Texans," said Landgraf.