|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the authority of certain retired peace officers and |
|
former reserve law enforcement officers to carry certain firearms. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 411.1992 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 411.1992. FORMER RESERVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. |
|
(a) A person who served as a reserve law enforcement officer, as |
|
defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code, not less than a |
|
total of 15 years with one or more state or local law enforcement |
|
agencies may apply for a license under this subchapter at any time. |
|
(b) The applicant shall submit to the department two |
|
complete sets of legible and classifiable fingerprints and a sworn |
|
statement from the head of the law enforcement agency at which the |
|
applicant last served as a reserve law enforcement officer. A head |
|
of a law enforcement agency may not refuse to issue a statement |
|
under this subsection. If the applicant alleges that the statement |
|
is untrue, the department shall investigate the validity of the |
|
statement. The statement must include: |
|
(1) the name and rank of the applicant; |
|
(2) the status of the applicant; |
|
(3) whether the applicant was accused of misconduct at |
|
any time during the applicant's term of service and the disposition |
|
of that accusation; |
|
(4) a description of the physical and mental condition |
|
of the applicant; |
|
(5) a list of the types of weapons the applicant |
|
demonstrated proficiency with during the applicant's term of |
|
service; and |
|
(6) a recommendation from the agency head regarding |
|
the issuance of a license under this subchapter. |
|
(c) The department may issue a license under this subchapter |
|
to an applicant under this section if the applicant was a reserve |
|
law enforcement officer for not less than a total of 15 years with |
|
one or more state or local law enforcement agencies and is |
|
physically and emotionally fit to possess a handgun. |
|
(d) An applicant under this section must pay a fee of $25 for |
|
a license issued under this subchapter. |
|
(e) A former reserve law enforcement officer who obtains a |
|
license as provided by this section must maintain, for the category |
|
of weapon licensed, the proficiency required for the person under |
|
Section 1701.357, Occupations Code. The department or the local |
|
law enforcement agency at which the person last served as a reserve |
|
law enforcement officer shall allow the person an opportunity to |
|
annually demonstrate the required proficiency. The proficiency |
|
shall be reported to the department on application and renewal. |
|
(f) A license issued under this section expires as provided |
|
by Section 411.183. |
|
SECTION 2. The heading to Section 1701.357, Occupations |
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 1701.357. WEAPONS PROFICIENCY FOR CERTAIN RETIRED |
|
PEACE OFFICERS AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FOR FORMER |
|
RESERVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. |
|
SECTION 3. Section 1701.357, Occupations Code, is amended |
|
by amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) and adding |
|
Subsections (b-1), (c-1), and (j) to read as follows: |
|
(a) This section applies only to: |
|
(1) a peace officer; |
|
(2) a federal criminal investigator designated as a |
|
special investigator under Article 2.122, Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure; [and] |
|
(3) a qualified retired law enforcement officer who is |
|
entitled to carry a concealed firearm under 18 U.S.C. Section 926C |
|
and is not otherwise described by Subdivision (1) or (2); and |
|
(4) a former reserve law enforcement officer who |
|
served in that capacity not less than a total of 15 years with one or |
|
more state or local law enforcement agencies. |
|
(b) The head of a state or local law enforcement agency may |
|
allow an honorably retired peace officer an opportunity to |
|
demonstrate weapons proficiency if the retired officer provides to |
|
the agency a sworn affidavit stating that: |
|
(1) the officer: |
|
(A) honorably retired after not less than a total |
|
of 15 years of service as a commissioned officer with one or more |
|
state or local law enforcement agencies; or |
|
(B) before completing 15 years of service as a |
|
commissioned officer with one or more state or local law |
|
enforcement agencies, separated from employment with the agency or |
|
agencies and is a qualified retired law enforcement officer, as |
|
defined by 18 U.S.C. Section 926C; |
|
(2) the officer's license as a commissioned officer |
|
was not revoked or suspended for any period during the officer's |
|
term of service as a commissioned officer; and |
|
(3) the officer has no psychological or physical |
|
disability that would interfere with the officer's proper handling |
|
of a handgun. |
|
(b-1) The head of a state or local law enforcement agency |
|
may allow a person who served as a reserve law enforcement officer |
|
as described by Subsection (a)(4) an opportunity to demonstrate |
|
weapons proficiency if the person provides to the agency a sworn |
|
affidavit stating that: |
|
(1) the person served not less than a total of 15 years |
|
as a reserve law enforcement officer with one or more state or local |
|
law enforcement agencies; |
|
(2) the person's appointment as a reserve law |
|
enforcement officer was not revoked or suspended for any period |
|
during the person's term of service; and |
|
(3) the person has no psychological or physical |
|
disability that would interfere with the person's proper handling |
|
of a handgun. |
|
(c) The agency shall establish written procedures for the |
|
issuance or denial of a certificate of proficiency under this |
|
section. The agency shall issue the certificate to a retired |
|
officer who satisfactorily demonstrates weapons proficiency under |
|
Subsection (b), provides proof that the officer is entitled to |
|
receive a pension or annuity for service with a state or local law |
|
enforcement agency or is not entitled to receive a pension or |
|
annuity only because the law enforcement agency that employed the |
|
retired officer does not offer a pension or annuity to its retired |
|
employees, and satisfies the written procedures established by the |
|
agency. The agency shall issue the certificate to a person |
|
described by Subsection (a)(4) who satisfactorily demonstrates |
|
weapons proficiency under Subsection (b-1). The agency shall |
|
maintain records of any person [retired officer] who holds a |
|
certificate issued under this section. |
|
(c-1) For purposes of Subsection (c) [this subsection], |
|
proof that a retired officer is entitled to receive a pension or |
|
annuity or is not entitled to receive a pension or annuity only |
|
because the agency that last employed the retired officer does not |
|
offer a pension or annuity may include a retired peace officer |
|
identification card issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 614, |
|
Government Code. |
|
(d) A certificate issued under this section expires on the |
|
second anniversary of the date the certificate was issued. A |
|
person [retired officer] to whom this section applies may request |
|
an annual evaluation of weapons proficiency and issuance of a |
|
certificate of proficiency as needed to comply with applicable |
|
federal or other laws. |
|
(j) On request of a person described by Subsection (a)(4) |
|
who holds a certificate of proficiency under this section, the head |
|
of the state or local law enforcement agency at which the person |
|
last served as a reserve law enforcement officer shall issue to the |
|
person identification that indicates the person's status. An |
|
identification under this subsection must include a photograph of |
|
the person. |
|
SECTION 4. Section 46.15(a), Penal Code, is amended to read |
|
as follows: |
|
(a) Sections 46.02 and 46.03 do not apply to: |
|
(1) peace officers or special investigators under |
|
Article 2.122, Code of Criminal Procedure, and neither section |
|
prohibits a peace officer or special investigator from carrying a |
|
weapon in this state, including in an establishment in this state |
|
serving the public, regardless of whether the peace officer or |
|
special investigator is engaged in the actual discharge of the |
|
officer's or investigator's duties while carrying the weapon; |
|
(2) parole officers and neither section prohibits an |
|
officer from carrying a weapon in this state if the officer is: |
|
(A) engaged in the actual discharge of the |
|
officer's duties while carrying the weapon; and |
|
(B) in compliance with policies and procedures |
|
adopted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice regarding the |
|
possession of a weapon by an officer while on duty; |
|
(3) community supervision and corrections department |
|
officers appointed or employed under Section 76.004, Government |
|
Code, and neither section prohibits an officer from carrying a |
|
weapon in this state if the officer is: |
|
(A) engaged in the actual discharge of the |
|
officer's duties while carrying the weapon; and |
|
(B) authorized to carry a weapon under Section |
|
76.0051, Government Code; |
|
(4) an active judicial officer as defined by Section |
|
411.201, Government Code, who is licensed to carry a concealed |
|
handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code; |
|
(5) an honorably retired peace officer, qualified |
|
retired law enforcement officer, [or] federal criminal |
|
investigator, or former reserve law enforcement officer who holds a |
|
certificate of proficiency issued under Section 1701.357, |
|
Occupations Code, and is carrying a photo identification that is |
|
issued by a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, as |
|
applicable, and that[:
|
|
[(A)] verifies that the officer is: |
|
(A) an honorably retired peace officer; |
|
(B) a qualified retired law enforcement officer; |
|
(C) a federal criminal investigator; or |
|
(D) a former reserve law enforcement officer who |
|
has served in that capacity not less than a total of 15 years with |
|
one or more state or local law enforcement agencies [after not less
|
|
than 15 years of service as a commissioned officer; and
|
|
[(B)
is issued by a state or local law
|
|
enforcement agency]; |
|
(6) a district attorney, criminal district attorney, |
|
county attorney, or municipal attorney who is licensed to carry a |
|
concealed handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code; |
|
(7) an assistant district attorney, assistant |
|
criminal district attorney, or assistant county attorney who is |
|
licensed to carry a concealed handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter |
|
411, Government Code; |
|
(8) a bailiff designated by an active judicial officer |
|
as defined by Section 411.201, Government Code, who is: |
|
(A) licensed to carry a concealed handgun under |
|
Chapter 411, Government Code; and |
|
(B) engaged in escorting the judicial officer; or |
|
(9) a juvenile probation officer who is authorized to |
|
carry a firearm under Section 142.006, Human Resources Code. |
|
SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
|
46.15, Penal Code, 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 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
|
|
|
* * * * * |