|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to certain offenses involving the carrying of concealed |
|
handguns by license holders and to defenses and exceptions to the |
|
prosecution of those offenses. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 46.03, Penal Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(f) It is not a defense to prosecution under Subsection |
|
(a)(1), (3), (5), or (6) [this section] that the actor possessed a |
|
handgun and was licensed to carry a concealed handgun under |
|
Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code. |
|
(f-1) It is an exception to the application of Subsections |
|
(a)(2) and (4) that the actor possessed a handgun, and no other |
|
weapon to which this section applies, and was licensed to carry a |
|
concealed handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code. |
|
SECTION 2. Sections 46.035(b) and (c), Penal Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(b) A license holder commits an offense if the license |
|
holder intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun |
|
under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, |
|
regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, on or about the |
|
license holder's person: |
|
(1) on the premises of a business that has a permit or |
|
license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic |
|
Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its |
|
income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for |
|
on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic |
|
Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code; |
|
(2) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, |
|
or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking |
|
place, unless the license holder is a participant in the event and a |
|
handgun is used in the event; or |
|
(3) on the premises of a correctional facility[;
|
|
[(4)
on the premises of a hospital licensed under
|
|
Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing
|
|
home licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the
|
|
license holder has written authorization of the hospital or nursing
|
|
home administration, as appropriate;
|
|
[(5) in an amusement park; or
|
|
[(6)
on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other
|
|
established place of religious worship]. |
|
(c) A license holder commits an offense if the license |
|
holder intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun |
|
under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, |
|
regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, at any meeting of a |
|
governmental entity, unless the license holder has not received |
|
effective notice under Section 30.06. |
|
SECTION 3. Section 46.035(h-1), Penal Code, as added by |
|
Chapter 1222 (H.B. 2300), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
|
Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows: |
|
(h-1) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsections |
|
(b)(1), (b)(2) [(2), and (4)-(6)], and (c) that at the time of the |
|
commission of the offense, the actor was: |
|
(1) a judge or justice of a federal court; |
|
(2) an active judicial officer, as defined by Section |
|
411.201, Government Code; or |
|
(3) a district attorney, assistant district attorney, |
|
criminal district attorney, assistant criminal district attorney, |
|
county attorney, or assistant county attorney. |
|
SECTION 4. Subsection (h-1), Section 46.035, Penal Code, as |
|
added by Chapter 1214 (H.B. 1889), Acts of the 80th Legislature, |
|
Regular Session, 2007, is redesignated as Subsection (h-2), Section |
|
46.035, Penal Code, to read as follows: |
|
(h-2) [(h-1)] It is a defense to prosecution under |
|
Subsections (b) and (c) that the actor, at the time of the |
|
commission of the offense, was: |
|
(1) an active judicial officer, as defined by Section |
|
411.201, Government Code; or |
|
(2) a bailiff designated by the active judicial |
|
officer and engaged in escorting the officer. |
|
SECTION 5. Sections 46.035(f)(1) and (i), Penal Code, are |
|
repealed. |
|
SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
|
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
|
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
|
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
|
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
|
before that date. |
|
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |