President Donald Trump announced his proposal for a nationwide version of Texas’s school marshal program, authored and passed in 2013 by State Representative Jason Villalba. Villalba represents State House District 114, covering parts of North Dallas, Preston Hollow, Lake Highlands, and East Dallas.

Villalba filed and passed the bill as a freshman legislator in 2013 after the tragedy of Sandy Hook. “At the time, my oldest daughter was in kindergarten,” Villalba said. “The same age as the children who were victimized in that tragedy. I had to do something to protect her.”

Texas’s school marshal program allows faculty and staff of public, private, and charter schools and community colleges to undergo the same training as our police officers. In the event of an active shooter on campus, the trained individual becomes instantly deputized as a peace officer, allowing them to take action for the armed defense of our children. For security reasons, there is no public data on where or exactly how many school marshals are currently active in Texas schools. However, it is believed that over 100 school faculty and staff have successfully completed the program and are now anonymously protecting our children every day.

Villalba is endorsed by the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, the Dallas Police Association, and the Dallas Morning News. He is rated 100% pro-life and endorsed by Texas Alliance for Life and was named a “Fighter for Free Enterprise” by the Texas Association of Business. He was named a “2017 Effective Conservative” by the Conservative Roundtable of Texas and is also endorsed by the Associated Republicans of Texas, Dallas Fire Fighters Association, Texas Association of REALTORS, Texas Medical Association, Texas Hospital Association—HOSPAC, and Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

Jason and Brooke, his wife of 16 years, have two young girls and a young son. They attend Highland Park United Methodist Church.