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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a grant pilot program to fund |
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mental health initiatives in public schools and to increasing fees |
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for the issuance of an original or renewed license to carry a |
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handgun. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 411.210 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 411.210. GRANT PILOT PROGRAM TO FUND MENTAL HEALTH |
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INITIATIVES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (a) The department shall establish |
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and administer a grant pilot program to award grants to school |
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districts and open-enrollment charter schools to fund mental health |
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initiatives designed to address the prevention and impact of gun |
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violence. The department may award a grant only to an eligible |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school that is located |
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in a county with a population of at least two million but not more |
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than 3.3 million. |
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(b) In determining whether to award a grant under this |
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section, the department shall consider whether the proposed mental |
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health initiative: |
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(1) is evidence-based; |
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(2) is likely to improve safety on the associated |
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campus; and |
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(3) has the potential, if successfully implemented, to |
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be replicated statewide. |
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(c) In deciding whether to award a grant to a school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school that has previously |
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received a grant under this section, the department shall, in |
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addition to the factors described under Subsection (b), consider |
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the results of the previous grant. |
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(d) The grant pilot program established under this section |
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shall be funded by: |
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(1) all money received by the department from fees |
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under this subchapter that are paid within a county described by |
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Subsection (a), other than money reasonably necessary to cover the |
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administrative costs associated with the issuance of an original or |
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renewed license to carry a handgun under this subchapter; |
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(2) federal funds; |
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(3) gifts, grants, and donations; or |
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(4) any other money available to the department for |
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the purpose. |
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SECTION 2. Section 411.174(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) An applicant for a license to carry a handgun must |
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submit to the director's designee described by Section 411.176: |
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(1) a completed application on a form provided by the |
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department that requires only the information listed in Subsection |
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(b); |
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(2) one or more photographs of the applicant that meet |
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the requirements of the department; |
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(3) a certified copy of the applicant's birth |
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certificate or certified proof of age; |
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(4) proof of residency in this state; |
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(5) two complete sets of legible and classifiable |
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fingerprints of the applicant taken by a person appropriately |
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trained in recording fingerprints who is employed by a law |
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enforcement agency or by a private entity designated by a law |
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enforcement agency as an entity qualified to take fingerprints of |
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an applicant for a license under this subchapter; |
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(6) a nonrefundable application and license fee of |
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$140 [$40] paid to the department; |
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(7) evidence of handgun proficiency, in the form and |
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manner required by the department; |
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(8) an affidavit signed by the applicant stating that |
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the applicant: |
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(A) has read and understands each provision of |
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this subchapter that creates an offense under the laws of this state |
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and each provision of the laws of this state related to use of |
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deadly force; and |
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(B) fulfills all the eligibility requirements |
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listed under Section 411.172; and |
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(9) a form executed by the applicant that authorizes |
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the director to make an inquiry into any noncriminal history |
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records that are necessary to determine the applicant's eligibility |
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for a license under Section 411.172(a). |
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SECTION 3. Section 411.185(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) To renew a license, a license holder must, on or before |
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the date the license expires, submit to the department by mail or, |
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in accordance with the procedure adopted under Subsection (f), on |
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the Internet: |
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(1) a renewal application on a form provided by the |
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department; |
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(2) payment of a nonrefundable renewal fee of $70 |
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[$40]; and |
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(3) the informational form described by Subsection (c) |
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signed or electronically acknowledged by the applicant. |
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SECTION 4. Section 411.190(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) In the manner applicable to a person who applies for a |
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license to carry a handgun, the department shall conduct a |
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background check of a person who applies for certification as a |
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qualified handgun instructor or approved online course provider. |
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If the background check indicates that the applicant for |
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certification would not qualify to receive a handgun license, the |
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department may not certify the applicant as a qualified handgun |
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instructor or approved online course provider. If the background |
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check indicates that the applicant for certification would qualify |
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to receive a handgun license, the department shall provide handgun |
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instructor or online course provider training to the applicant. |
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The applicant shall pay a fee of $100 to the department for the |
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training. The applicant must take and successfully complete the |
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training offered by the department and pay the training fee before |
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the department may certify the applicant as a qualified handgun |
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instructor or approved online course provider. The department |
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shall issue a license to carry a handgun under the authority of this |
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subchapter to any person who is certified as a qualified handgun |
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instructor or approved online course provider and who pays to the |
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department a fee of $100 [$40] in addition to the training fee. The |
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department by rule may prorate or waive the training fee for an |
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employee of another governmental entity. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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411.174(a), 411.185(a), and 411.190(c), Government Code, apply |
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only to an applicant for an original or renewed license to carry a |
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handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, as |
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amended by this Act, who submits the application on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |