In March of 2018, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced plans to establish the Mayor’s Commission Against Gun Violence. The announcement, made at a downtown Houston rally and march that drew thousands of people, was made in solidarity with March for Our Lives, the national student-led gun violence prevention movement.

The mayor, who has a lengthy legislative record advocating for schools and for responsible gun use, is inspired by young people who have organized to educate elected officials and the public about the need to improve school safety and effectively address gun violence issues on school campuses.

In May of 2018, he announced the names of 37 individuals who represent a cross-section of the Houston community to serve on his new Mayor’s Commission Against Gun Violence. The diverse group includes students, parents, physicians, law enforcement officials, gun-rights advocates, gun violence victims and members of faith-based and civil rights organizations, with Haley Carter as Chair.

Haley is a native Houstonian, MBA, retired United States Marine officer, former Houston Dash soccer player and a 2nd year law student at the University of Houston.

Mayor Turner gave the commission the time and resources it needed to research and submit recommendations. He has asked the commission to provide recommendations before the next school year starts in the fall, and the rest before the start of the 2019 session of the Texas Legislature.

Shortly after a Santa Fe High School student was charged with killing eight classmates and two teachers, the Mayor announced recommendations submitted by the Commission in a report (view in Supporting Documents below) that focuses on making schools and communities safer, increasing public awareness for the safe use and storage of firearms, and relying on technology to prevent campus shootings.

In February, the Mayor and Commission publicly announced their recommendations for the 2019 Legislative Session. They are divided into sections: those requiring legislation, budget amendments, and state administrative action.

The purpose of this website is to provide information to Houstonians, lawmakers, and the media about the Commission, their recommendations, and the legislative status.