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Gov. Abbott issues executive orders following mass shootings in Texas

Governor calls actions a 'starting point' following two deadly shootings that killed nearly 30

AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott issued eight executive orders following two deadly mass shootings in Texas in the past month. 

The executive orders address police procedures, communication with local law enforcement and schools, and mental health in the state. But they do not include any measures on gun control. 

"I will continue to work expeditiously with the legislature on laws to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals, while safeguarding the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Texans,” Gov. Abbott said in a news release. 

The bulk of the executive orders change protocols for police when dealing with threats being reported. 

Executive Order No. 1 calls for a standardized intake questions that police across the state can use to better identify if information should be reported to the Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting Network

Other orders address when and how Texas law-enforcement agencies should submit Suspicious Activity Reports. It also calls for training for law enforcement and increased staffing at fusion centers in the state. 

"Texas must achieve several objectives to better protect our communities and our residents from mass shootings" said Governor Abbott. "One of those objectives is to marshal law enforcement resources to stop violent criminals before they commit mass murders."

Gov. Abbott is also calling for the creation of a multidisciplinary threat assessment team. The teams will consist of DPS, local law enforcement, mental health professionals and school districts. 

Other executive orders call for public education of the Suspicious Activity Reports, ways to better inform schools about the reports and grants to speed up reporting convictions to the Criminal Justice Information System to within five business days. 

The governor's executive orders follow deadly mass shootings in El Paso and Odessa where nearly 30 people were killed in August. 

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Credit: TEGNA


Gov. Abbott's executive orders do not include any on gun control in Texas. That's something Texas House Democrats want addressed. On Wednesday, they pushed the governor to call a special session on gun violence. 

RELATED: Gov. Abbott's office responds to Texas Democrats' call for a special session

"Texas seems to be leading a horrifying national trend of more frequent and more deadly mass shootings," Democratic state senator Kirk Watson said. "Mass shootings are just one of our gun violent emergencies in Texas. We have a mass shooting crisis, a murder crisis, and a suicide crisis."

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