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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the eligibility for a license to carry a handgun. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 411.172(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A person is eligible for a license to carry a handgun if |
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the person: |
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(1) is a legal resident of this state for the six-month |
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period preceding the date of application under this subchapter or |
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is otherwise eligible for a license under Section 411.173(a); |
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(2) is at least 21 years of age; |
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(3) has not been convicted of a felony; |
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(4) is not [charged with the commission of a Class A or |
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Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense, or of an offense under |
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Section 42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense, or of a felony] |
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under an [information or] indictment for: |
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(A) a federal offense punishable by imprisonment |
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for a term exceeding one year, other than antitrust violations, |
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unfair trade practices, restraints of trade, or other similar |
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offenses relating to the regulation of business practices; or |
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(B) an offense under state law punishable by |
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imprisonment for a term of more than two years; |
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(5) is not a fugitive from justice for a felony or a |
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Class A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense; |
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(6) is not [a] chemically dependent on a controlled |
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substance [person]; |
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(7) has not been involuntarily committed to a mental |
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institution or adjudicated as a mental defective [is not incapable |
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of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and |
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storage of a handgun]; |
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(8) [has not, in the five years preceding the date of |
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application, been convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or |
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equivalent offense or of an offense under Section 42.01, Penal |
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Code, or equivalent offense; |
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[(9)] is not prohibited by [fully qualified under] |
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applicable federal or [and] state law from possessing a firearm [to |
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purchase a handgun]; |
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(9) is not illegally or unlawfully in the United |
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States; |
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(10) has not been discharged from the United States |
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armed forces under dishonorable conditions; |
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(11) has not renounced the person's United States |
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citizenship; |
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(12) is not prohibited from possessing firearms for a |
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misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under Section 46.04(b), |
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Penal Code, or 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(9); |
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(13) [(10) has not been finally determined to be |
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delinquent in making a child support payment administered or |
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collected by the attorney general; |
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[(11) has not been finally determined to be delinquent |
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in the payment of a tax or other money collected by the comptroller, |
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the tax collector of a political subdivision of the state, or any |
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agency or subdivision of the state; |
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[(12)] is not currently prohibited from possessing a |
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firearm [restricted] under: |
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(A) a [court] protective order issued under Title |
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4, Family Code, or Subchapter A or B, Chapter 7B, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure; |
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(B) a protective order issued by another |
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jurisdiction as provided by Chapter 88, Family Code; or |
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(C) a magistrate's order for emergency |
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protection under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure |
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[subject to a restraining order affecting the spousal relationship, |
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other than a restraining order solely affecting property interests; |
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[(13) has not, in the 10 years preceding the date of |
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application, been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent |
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conduct violating a penal law of the grade of felony]; and |
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(14) has not made any material misrepresentation, or |
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failed to disclose any material fact, in an application submitted |
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pursuant to Section 411.174. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 411.186(a), (c), and (d), Government |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The department shall revoke a license under this section |
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if the license holder: |
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(1) was not entitled to the license at the time it was |
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issued; |
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(2) made a material misrepresentation or failed to |
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disclose a material fact in an application submitted under this |
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subchapter; |
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(3) subsequently becomes ineligible for a license |
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under Section 411.172[, unless the sole basis for the ineligibility |
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is that the license holder is charged with the commission of a Class |
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A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense, or of an offense |
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under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense, or of a |
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felony under an information or indictment]; or |
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(4) [is convicted of an offense under Section 46.035, |
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Penal Code; |
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[(5) is determined by the department to have engaged |
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in conduct constituting a reason to suspend a license listed in |
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Section 411.187(a) after the person's license has been previously |
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suspended twice for the same reason; or |
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[(6)] submits an application fee that is dishonored or |
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reversed if the applicant fails to submit a cashier's check or money |
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order made payable to the "Texas Department of Public Safety [of the |
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State of Texas]" in the amount of the dishonored or reversed fee, |
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plus $25, within 30 days of being notified by the department that |
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the fee was dishonored or reversed. |
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(c) A license holder whose license is revoked for a reason |
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listed in Subsection (a)(1), (2), or (3) [Subsections (a)(1)-(5)] |
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may reapply as a new applicant for the issuance of a license under |
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this subchapter after the second anniversary of the date of the |
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revocation if the cause for revocation does not exist on the date of |
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the second anniversary. If the cause for revocation exists on the |
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date of the second anniversary after the date of revocation, the |
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license holder may not apply for a new license until the cause for |
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revocation no longer exists and has not existed for a period of two |
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years. |
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(d) A license holder whose license is revoked under |
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Subsection (a)(4) [(a)(6)] may reapply for an original or renewed |
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license at any time, provided the application fee and a dishonored |
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payment charge of $25 is paid by cashier's check or money order made |
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payable to the "Texas Department of Public Safety." |
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SECTION 3. Sections 411.187(a) and (c), Government Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The department shall suspend a license under this |
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section if the license holder: |
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(1) is charged with the commission of an offense and, |
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if convicted of the offense, the person would be ineligible under |
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federal or state law to possess a firearm [a Class A or Class B |
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misdemeanor or equivalent offense, or of an offense under Section |
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42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense, or of a felony under an |
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information or indictment]; |
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(2) fails to notify the department of a change of |
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address, name, or status as required by Section 411.181; or |
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(3) [commits an act of family violence and] is the |
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subject of an active protective order that causes the person to |
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become ineligible under federal or state law to possess a firearm |
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[rendered under Title 4, Family Code; or |
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[(4) is arrested for an offense involving family |
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violence or an offense under Section 42.072, Penal Code, and is the |
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subject of an order for emergency protection issued under Article |
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17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure]. |
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(c) The department shall suspend a license under this |
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section: |
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(1) for 30 days, if the person's license is subject to |
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suspension for a reason listed in Subsection (a)(2)[, (3), or (4), |
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except as provided by Subdivision (2)]; |
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(2) [for not less than one year and not more than three |
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years, if the person's license: |
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[(A) is subject to suspension for a reason listed |
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in Subsection (a), other than the reason listed in Subsection |
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(a)(1); and |
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[(B) has been previously suspended for the same |
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reason; |
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[(3)] until dismissal of the charges, if the person's |
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license is subject to suspension for the reason listed in |
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Subsection (a)(1); or |
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(3) [(4)] for the duration of or the period specified |
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by[: |
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[(A)] the protective order [issued under Title 4, |
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Family Code,] if the person's license is subject to suspension for |
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the reason listed in Subsection (a)(3) [(a)(5); or |
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[(B) the order for emergency protection issued under |
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Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, if the person's license |
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is subject to suspension for the reason listed in Subsection |
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(a)(6)]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 411.201(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) An active judicial officer is eligible for a license to |
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carry a handgun under the authority of this subchapter. A retired |
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judicial officer is eligible for a license to carry a handgun under |
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the authority of this subchapter if the officer meets the |
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requirements under Section 411.172[: |
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[(1) has not been convicted of a felony; |
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[(2) has not, in the five years preceding the date of |
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application, been convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or |
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equivalent offense; |
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[(3) is not charged with the commission of a Class A or |
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Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense or of a felony under an |
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information or indictment; |
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[(4) is not a chemically dependent person; and |
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[(5) is not a person of unsound mind]. |
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SECTION 5. The following provisions of the Government Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Sections 411.171(2), (4), and (6); |
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(2) Section 411.1711; |
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(3) Sections 411.172(b), (b-1), (c), (d), (e), and |
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(f); and |
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(4) Section 411.206(c). |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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411.172 and 411.201, Government Code, apply only to an application |
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for the issuance, modification, or renewal of a license that is |
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submitted to the Department of Public Safety on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. An application submitted before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the application was submitted, and the former law is continued |
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in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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411.186 and 411.187, Government Code, apply only to an |
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administrative or judicial determination concerning the revocation |
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or suspension of a license to carry a handgun that is made on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. An administrative or judicial |
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determination made before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the determination was |
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made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |