Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: Statement on Forming the Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans
On June 1st, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick issued the following statement announcing the Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans. Senator Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, will serve as Chair. Senator Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe and Senator Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will serve as Co-Vice Chairs. Upon forming the committee, Lieutenant Governor Patrick issued the following statement:
"In response to Governor Abbott's request today, as President of the Texas Senate, I am naming the following members to the Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans:
Senator Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, Chair
Senator Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, Co-Vice Chair
Senator Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, Co-Vice Chair
Senator Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston
Senator Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury
Senator Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels
Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen
Senator Bryan Hughes, R-Tyler
Senator Charles Perry, R-Lubbock
Senator Royce West, D-Dallas
Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo
"Chairman Nichols is an engineer by profession, Senator Creighton is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Higher Education and Senator Kolkhorst is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. These three leaders have the experience and knowledge to lead this important committee. The committee members also represent a cross section of school districts and communities of all sizes across the state.
"Governor Abbott has asked us to study five important areas:
School Safety
Mental Health
Social Media
Police Training Firearm Safety
Firearm Safety
"I have asked Chair Nichols to hold his hearing on June 23 or a date shortly thereafter. I want to give the families and the community of Uvalde time to complete all funeral services before beginning hearings so those who wish to testify may take part. I have asked Chair Nichols to coordinate with the House of Representatives Chair to hold their hearings on the same date, if possible, to accommodate both invited and public witnesses.
"Before creation of this committee, last week, I sent a letter to the Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, Mike Morath, to request an extension through the end of the next legislative session for applying for school safety grants, which were set to expire on May 31. There is still nearly $14 million in the fund that schools could still request.
"We will also be working with Attorney General Paxton's office to ensure payments from the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund, once approved, are expedited.
"All of us working together is the answer. Now is not the time for politics. It is all about doing all we can so that we never see another tragedy like this happen again in Texas."