According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), the fiscal impact of HB 33 is projected to be significant, with an estimated negative impact of approximately $139.9 million to the General Revenue Fund over the 2026–27 biennium. The majority of these costs stem from the creation of the Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Grant Program, administered by the Office of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division. Under this program, eligible law enforcement agencies could receive grants of $25,000 for accreditation and $12,500 for reaccreditation through specified accrediting entities. With roughly 2,787 active law enforcement agencies in Texas, the Office of the Governor estimates annual grant costs of nearly $69.8 million.

In addition to the grant program, the bill anticipates new administrative expenses for the Office of the Governor, requiring two full-time employees to manage the grant distribution and compliance oversight. Personnel costs, travel, and general operational expenses are expected to total approximately $532,700 during the initial biennium.

Although many other agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, are assigned new responsibilities under the bill (such as training, emergency response drills, and mutual aid agreement management), the associated costs for these duties were generally found to be either absorbable within existing agency resources or indeterminate at this time. On the local level, law enforcement agencies could experience some new costs tied to equipment requirements and reporting duties. However, they may also benefit from offsetting grants to help achieve accreditation under the new system.

HB 33, known as the Uvalde Strong Act, is a deeply emotional and earnest response to the devastating tragedy at Robb Elementary School, an event that shook Texas and the entire nation. The bill seeks to strengthen school safety and active shooter preparedness by requiring enhanced emergency operations plans, better coordination between schools and law enforcement, standardized emergency response communication, new training mandates for first responders, and the establishment of a grant program to assist law enforcement agencies in achieving accreditation. It is a heartfelt legislative effort aimed at honoring the memory of the lives lost by seeking to prevent future tragedies.

However, while the intent of HB 33 is commendable, the means by which it seeks to achieve its goals substantially violate key liberty principles as currently drafted. The bill significantly grows the size and scope of government by expanding state regulatory authority over schools, law enforcement, and emergency responders. It creates a costly, permanent grant program with an estimated $140 million price tag over the next two years — a major, ongoing taxpayer burden without guaranteed sustainable funding. Furthermore, the bill imposes permanent mandates on local governments and public employees, requiring new certifications, continuing education, and regulatory compliance reporting, reducing local autonomy and creating new layers of bureaucracy rather than empowering communities to act according to their unique needs.

In its current form, HB 33 relies too heavily on centralized, top-down government solutions. It risks making the public safety system more bureaucratic and rigid, not more resilient. The better path to school safety — and to honoring the victims of Uvalde — is not through expanding red tape but by empowering families, schools, and local communities. Real security comes from freedom and flexibility, including school choice and community-driven solutions, not from creating sprawling permanent programs and mandates at the state level.

To bring this legislation back in line with core principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and local control, we respectfully recommend the following amendments:

• Limit Spending: Cap the total cost of the new grant program at a fixed and responsible amount (for example, no more than $20 million per biennium). Require strict prioritization for funds (e.g., only for critical safety needs directly related to school protection).
• Sunset New Programs and Mandates: Include a sunset provision that automatically ends the new grant program, accreditation requirements, and related mandates after four years (September 1, 2029), unless reauthorized by the Legislature. Require a formal effectiveness review before renewal.
• Refocus on Expanding Freedom and Local Control: Add legislative findings or purpose language that reaffirm the state's commitment to empowering local communities and families to lead on school safety initiatives. Encourage the integration of school choice and parental empowerment strategies as part of improving school security, rather than relying solely on top-down mandates.

In the tragic and emotionally charged context of Uvalde, Texas, must respond with compassion, urgency, and wisdom. We honor the victims best not by growing bureaucracy, but by making schools safer in ways that respect liberty, protect taxpayers, and empower families and communities. HB 33 can achieve its noble goals if strengthened through meaningful amendments that prioritize local control, fiscal responsibility, and educational freedom.

Without these changes, however, the legislation remains fundamentally misaligned with liberty principles. Therefore, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote NO on HB 33 unless amended as described.

• Individual Liberty: On one hand, by strengthening school safety, the bill seeks to protect students’ and educators’ most fundamental liberty — the right to life and security. A safe environment is essential for individuals to fully exercise their rights. On the other hand, the bill imposes new government mandates on schools, teachers, law enforcement, EMS providers, and public information officers, including required certifications and training. These requirements reduce professional and local discretion over how individuals prepare for emergencies. In summary, the bill enhances physical safety, but at the cost of expanded mandates on individuals' professional activities.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill promotes personal responsibility by requiring school leaders, police, and EMS personnel to be proactively prepared for emergencies. It ensures that local actors cannot simply defer responsibility upwards or blame "lack of coordination" after tragedies. Requiring updated plans, training, and audits forces public servants to think seriously about their roles and be better stewards of public trust.
• Free Enterprise: While the bill doesn't directly regulate private businesses, it expands public sector regulatory environments, particularly by creating new state-controlled grant programs, certifications, and mandates. Over time, these expanded requirements could crowd out local contracting options (like for private security, safety audits, or training vendors) if everything becomes tightly state-standardized. Private consulting firms or accreditation providers might gain some business, but competition could shrink under heavy state control. In summary, there is likely minimal immediate impact on private businesses, but increased government standardization could indirectly limit free market dynamics in public safety services.
• Private Property Rights: The bill mainly regulates public property (schools, public junior colleges, public safety departments). There is no eminent domain, seizure, or restriction on private property owners included. That said, if schools are required to make extensive renovations or security upgrades without full state funding, it could place financial pressure on districts and indirectly lead to higher local property taxes to cover costs. In summary, the direct impact is minimal, but indirect financial pressures on taxpayers are possible.
• Limited Government: The bill expands state government authority over school safety and law enforcement standards. It creates a new permanent grant program requiring ongoing taxpayer funding and requires new certifications and oversight systems, managed by multiple state agencies (TEA, TDEM, TCOLE, Office of the Governor). The bill mandates detailed compliance and reporting by local entities, reducing local flexibility and autonomy. It also grows the administrative state without a clear sunset or review mechanism for effectiveness or cost control. In summary, the bill substantially increases the size, cost, and reach of government, going well beyond addressing immediate safety needs.

• SB 2862 (Same As)