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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the carrying of certain knives; creating a criminal |
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offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 52.031(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A juvenile board may establish a first offender program |
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under this section for the referral and disposition of children |
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taken into custody, or accused prior to the filing of a criminal |
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charge, of: |
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(1) conduct indicating a need for supervision; |
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(2) a Class C misdemeanor, other than a traffic |
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offense; or |
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(3) delinquent conduct other than conduct that |
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constitutes: |
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(A) a felony of the first, second, or third |
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degree, an aggravated controlled substance felony, or a capital |
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felony; or |
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(B) a state jail felony or misdemeanor involving |
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violence to a person or the use or possession of a firearm, |
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location-restricted [illegal] knife, or club, as those terms are |
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defined by Section 46.01, Penal Code, or a prohibited weapon, as |
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described by Section 46.05, Penal Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 53.01(d), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Unless the juvenile board approves a written procedure |
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proposed by the office of prosecuting attorney and chief juvenile |
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probation officer which provides otherwise, if it is determined |
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that the person is a child and, regardless of a finding of probable |
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cause, or a lack thereof, there is an allegation that the child |
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engaged in delinquent conduct of the grade of felony, or conduct |
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constituting a misdemeanor offense involving violence to a person |
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or the use or possession of a firearm, location-restricted |
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[illegal] knife, or club, as those terms are defined by Section |
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46.01, Penal Code, or prohibited weapon, as described by Section |
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46.05, Penal Code, the case shall be promptly forwarded to the |
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office of the prosecuting attorney, accompanied by: |
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(1) all documents that accompanied the current |
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referral; and |
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(2) a summary of all prior referrals of the child to |
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the juvenile court, juvenile probation department, or a detention |
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facility. |
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SECTION 3. Section 46.01(6), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(6) "Location-restricted [Illegal] knife" means a[:
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[(A)] knife with a blade over five and one-half |
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inches[;
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[(B)
hand instrument designed to cut or stab
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another by being thrown;
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[(C)
dagger, including but not limited to a dirk,
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stiletto, and poniard;
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[(D) bowie knife;
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[(E) sword; or
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[(F) spear]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 46.02, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (a-4) and |
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(d) to read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries |
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on or about his or her person a handgun[, illegal knife,] or club; |
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and |
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(2) [if the person] is not: |
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(A) [(1)] on the person's own premises or |
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premises under the person's control; or |
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(B) [(2)] inside of or directly en route to a |
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motor vehicle or watercraft that is owned by the person or under the |
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person's control. |
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(a-4) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries |
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on or about his or her person a location-restricted knife; |
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(2) is younger than 18 years of age at the time of the |
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offense; and |
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(3) is not: |
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(A) on the person's own premises or premises |
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under the person's control; |
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(B) inside of or directly en route to a motor |
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vehicle or watercraft that is owned by the person or under the |
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person's control; or |
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(C) under the direct supervision of a parent or |
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legal guardian of the person. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c) or (d), an offense |
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under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. |
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(d) An offense under Subsection (a-4) is a Class C |
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misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 5. Section 46.03, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (g) and adding Subsections (a-1) and |
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(g-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, |
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knowingly, or recklessly possesses or goes with a firearm, |
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location-restricted [illegal] knife, club, or prohibited weapon |
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listed in Section 46.05(a): |
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(1) on the physical premises of a school or |
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educational institution, any grounds or building on which an |
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activity sponsored by a school or educational institution is being |
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conducted, or a passenger transportation vehicle of a school or |
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educational institution, whether the school or educational |
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institution is public or private, unless: |
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(A) pursuant to written regulations or written |
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authorization of the institution; or |
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(B) the person possesses or goes with a concealed |
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handgun that the person is licensed to carry under Subchapter H, |
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Chapter 411, Government Code, and no other weapon to which this |
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section applies, on the premises of an institution of higher |
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education or private or independent institution of higher |
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education, on any grounds or building on which an activity |
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sponsored by the institution is being conducted, or in a passenger |
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transportation vehicle of the institution; |
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(2) on the premises of a polling place on the day of an |
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election or while early voting is in progress; |
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(3) on the premises of any government court or offices |
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utilized by the court, unless pursuant to written regulations or |
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written authorization of the court; |
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(4) on the premises of a racetrack; |
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(5) in or into a secured area of an airport; or |
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(6) within 1,000 feet of premises the location of |
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which is designated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a |
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place of execution under Article 43.19, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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on a day that a sentence of death is set to be imposed on the |
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designated premises and the person received notice that: |
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(A) going within 1,000 feet of the premises with |
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a weapon listed under this subsection was prohibited; or |
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(B) possessing a weapon listed under this |
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subsection within 1,000 feet of the premises was prohibited. |
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(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person |
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intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly possesses or goes with a |
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location-restricted knife: |
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(1) on the premises of a business that has a permit or |
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license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic |
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Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its |
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income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for |
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on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic |
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Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code; |
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(2) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, |
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or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking |
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place, unless the person is a participant in the event and a |
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location-restricted knife is used in the event; |
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(3) on the premises of a correctional facility; |
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(4) on the premises of a hospital licensed under |
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Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing |
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facility licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless |
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the person has written authorization of the hospital or nursing |
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facility administration, as appropriate; |
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(5) on the premises of a mental hospital, as defined by |
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Section 571.003, Health and Safety Code, unless the person has |
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written authorization of the mental hospital administration; |
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(6) in an amusement park; or |
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(7) on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other |
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established place of religious worship. |
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(g) Except as provided by Subsection (g-1), an [An] offense |
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under this section is a felony of the third degree [felony]. |
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(g-1) If the weapon that is the subject of the offense is a |
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location-restricted knife, an offense under this section is a Class |
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C misdemeanor, except that the offense is a felony of the third |
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degree if the offense is committed under Subsection (a)(1). |
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SECTION 6. Section 46.03(c)(2), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(2) "Amusement park" and "premises" have ["Premises"
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has] the meanings [meaning] assigned by Section 46.035. |
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SECTION 7. Section 46.06(a), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to |
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any person knowing that the person to whom the handgun is to be |
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delivered intends to use it unlawfully or in the commission of an |
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unlawful act; |
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(2) intentionally or knowingly sells, rents, leases, |
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or gives or offers to sell, rent, lease, or give to any child |
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younger than 18 years of age any firearm, club, or |
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location-restricted [illegal] knife; |
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(3) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly sells a |
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firearm or ammunition for a firearm to any person who is |
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intoxicated; |
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(4) knowingly sells a firearm or ammunition for a |
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firearm to any person who has been convicted of a felony before the |
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fifth anniversary of the later of the following dates: |
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(A) the person's release from confinement |
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following conviction of the felony; or |
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(B) the person's release from supervision under |
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community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision following |
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conviction of the felony; |
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(5) sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to |
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any person knowing that an active protective order is directed to |
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the person to whom the handgun is to be delivered; or |
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(6) knowingly purchases, rents, leases, or receives as |
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a loan or gift from another a handgun while an active protective |
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order is directed to the actor. |
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SECTION 8. Section 46.15(e), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(e) [The provisions of] Section 46.02(a-4) does [46.02
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prohibiting the carrying of an illegal knife do] not apply to an |
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individual carrying a location-restricted knife [bowie knife or a
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sword] used in a historical demonstration or in a ceremony in which |
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the knife [or sword] is significant to the performance of the |
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ceremony. |
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SECTION 9. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an offense committed or conduct that occurs on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. An offense committed or conduct that |
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occurs before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law |
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in effect on the date the offense was committed or the conduct |
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occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed or |
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conduct occurs before the effective date of this Act if any element |
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of the offense or the conduct occurs before that date. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |