Kim’s Message: Even Texas Has Workplace Violence Laws

On May 5, 2026, in Carrollton, Texas, a business dispute turned deadly when a meeting at K Towne Plaza ended in a shooting. Two people were killed, and three others were injured. Investigators said the shooting was not random, as the victims were connected through business dealings, and there was anger over financial disagreements.

Texas is often referred to as the “Wild West” in HR circles due to its lack of employment and labor laws, especially when compared to California. However, since 2023, even the Lone Star State of Texas has been strengthening its Workplace Violence Laws.

California is approaching two years since our Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) requirements went into effect. Since July 1, 2024, most California employers have been required to develop, implement, and maintain a written WVPP and provide mandatory employee training.  At CEA, we took this new law seriously. We didn’t want to be “the cobbler whose children didn’t have shoes”.  And, it’s also important to note that Cal/OSHA can cite employers and issue expensive penalties for non-compliance.  For CEA members, we have resources available to get you started! Download our WVPP Fact Sheet for detailed information on the requirements, as well as a Sample Violent Incident Log on our HR Forms page. We will continue to keep you informed of any updates on our blogs.

It’s time to revisit whether your WVPP still reflects your current hazards and operations, or needs to be updated. As a reminder, there are a number of steps employers should take on at least a yearly basis, including:

• Annual soliciting of employee (and union) feedback to ensure their active involvement in the WVPP;
• Annual review of your written plan and updating it as appropriate;
• Annual employee training on your plan;
• Periodic hazard inspection.
• Are our supervisors sufficiently trained on how to respond to threats, reports, or violent incidents?
• Are we using the required violent incident log consistently?

CEA can help you gather employee feedback. Contact us to learn more.