AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued eight executive orders his office said will "help prevent further mass shootings" like those in El Paso and Odessa last month.

"Texas must achieve several objectives to better protect our communities and our residents from mass shootings," Abbott said in a statement Thursday. "One of those objectives is to marshal law enforcement resources to stop violent criminals before they commit mass murders. But more must be done. 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."

Most of the orders pertain to information sharing and training for local and state law enforcement agencies. Many reference the Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting Network, an online portal where people can report whether they believe someone may be a danger to themselves or others.

Abbott drew up the orders in the wake of the state's second mass shooting in one month. In roundtable discussions he convened late last month, Abbott and other leaders discussed enacting new gun regulations and tightening enforcement of current laws; the governor has said he will issue legislative recommendations based on these discussions next week.

The Texas House and Senate have also announced the formation of special committees to tackle these and other recommendations. House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said in a statement Thursday that tackling gun violence would take "an immediate, multifaceted approach

"Abbott's executive orders provide a roadmap for meeting that objective. The State of Texas is taking swift action to put a stop to this epidemic of violence, and I thank Governor Abbott for his leadership on the matter," he added.

State lawmakers aren't scheduled to meet again until 2021, but Democrats have called on Abbott to call a special session on gun violence before then.

In August, 29 people were killed and nearly 50 injured in two separate shootings in the West Texas cities of El Paso and Midland-Odessa. There have been four mass shootings in Texas since November 2017, when a gunman shot and killed 26 people including a pregnant woman at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs. In May 2018, two teachers and eight students were shot dead at a high school in Santa Fe.

Here are the executive orders as issued by Abbott on Thursday:

Order No. 1: Within thirty days of this order, the Texas Department of Public Safety shall develop standardized intake questions that can be used by all Texas law-enforcement agencies to better identify whether a person calling the agency has information that should be reported to the Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting Network.

Order No. 2: Within thirty days of this order, the Department of Public Safety shall develop clear guidance, based on the appropriate legal standard, for when and how Texas law-enforcement agencies should submit Suspicious Activity Reports.

Order No. 3: Within sixty days of this order, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall make training available to educate all law-enforcement officers regarding the standards that will be developed pursuant to Order No. 1 and Order No. 2.

Order No. 4: The Department of Public Safety shall create and conduct an initiative to raise public awareness and understanding of how Suspicious Activity Reports are used by law-enforcement agencies to identify potential mass shooters or terroristic threats, so that the general public and friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, and classmates will be more likely to report information about potential gunmen.

Order No. 5: The Department of Public Safety shall work with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on ways to better inform schools, students, staff, and families about the importance of Suspicious Activity Reports and how to initiate that process.

Order No. 6: The Department of Public Safety shall work with local law enforcement, mental-health professionals, school districts, and others to create multidisciplinary threat assessment teams for each of its regions, and when appropriate shall coordinate with federal partners.

Order No. 7: The Department of Public Safety, as well as the Office of the Governor, shall use all available resources to increase staff at all fusion centers in Texas for the purpose of better collecting and responding to Suspicious Activity Reports, and better monitoring and analyzing social media and other online forums, for potential threats.

Order No. 8: Beginning January 1, 2020, all future grant awards from the Office of the Governor to counties shall require a commitment that the county will report at least 90 percent of convictions within seven business days to the Criminal Justice Information System at the Department of Public Safety. By January 1, 2021, such reporting must take place within five business days.