via Email: Yesterday, March 10th, marked the deadline for bill filing, bills continue to be assigned to the various standing committees, House and Senate, legislation will begin to move through the long process.
Below you'll find the TSRA Legislative Agenda for the 2017 session. Please notice duplicate bills filed on the same issue.
TSRA's 2017 Legislative Agenda
Bills are not necessarily in priority order!
#1 Remove the fee for issuance of LTC relating to the fee for the CHL, placed in statute in 1995, one of the three highest fees for a license in the country. Please co-author and support: HB300 by Rep. Phil King/ HB339 by Rep. Dustin Burrows/HB 1024 by Rep. Kyle Kacal and SB16 by Sen. Nichols/Huffman
Note: HB 300 was filed last week by the Chairman of House Public Safety and Homeland Security, the committee hearing this issue, and the low number indicates House priority legislation.
In a press release Lt. Gov. Patrick said, "Texans should not be forced to pay for a constitutional right." TSRA agrees, the fee has been too high for too long.
#2 LTC Consistency in Penalty relating to consistency in penalty for those with a License to Carry. During the 2015 session the penalty for a licensee who enters a posted property was lowered from a Class A to a Class C misdemeanor. However, the penalty did not change for locations listed in PC 46.035, many of which are private and all are authorized by statute to post PC 30.06 or PC 30.07. The oversight was unintended. This bill provides consistency in penalty. HB1209 by Rep. DeWayne Burns/SB583 by Sen. Donna Campbell
#3 Immunity for Business Owners to provide limited immunity for property owners who do not post to prohibit the carrying of a concealed handgun by a licensee. The immunity would not be available if the property "owner" acted with willful or wanton conduct or gross negligence. HB606 by Rep. Springer/SB618 by Sen. Estes (similar)
#4 Removes the Caliber Requirement for the LTC Proficiency Exam Currently those seeking a handgun license are required to test with a .32 caliber or larger handgun. The course of fire is 50 rounds. There is no caliber requirement for the handgun carried by a licensee. This requirement has stopped those with hand injuries or the elderly from obtaining a handgun license. HB403 by Rep. Drew Springer/SB 263 by Sen. Charles Perry removes the caliber requirement for LTC qualification from Texas law.
#5 Removing prohibited locations for LTC holders, other than private property. HB 560 by Rep. Drew Springer. The Texas handgun license has over 20 years of history and licensees maintain a record (DPS statistics) for currently being 21 times less likely to commit a crime than the general population. HB 560 would significantly open locations prohibited in statute.
#6 Clarify in Statute the Location of a School Activity relating to a recent AG opinion. KP-50 brought attention to a weakness in Texas law regarding the definition for the location of a school activity. New language would narrow and define the location. At present any school field trip, including post-secondary, to any location, private or public, could create a school sponsored activity, thereby prohibiting licensees. HB968 by Rep. Metcalf/SB 349 by Sen. Creighton narrows and defines the location of a school sponsored activity.
#7 Tax Free Holiday for Texas Gun Owners would create a sales tax free holiday for Texas gun owners. Issue from last session. HB485 by Rep Fallon/SB133 by Sen.Creighton
#8 Suppressor Change to Texas Law. Texans are allowed to hunt Texas game animals with a suppressed firearm, also called a silencer. The National Firearm Act of 1934 requires full registration with BATFE for the purchase and possession of a suppressor. Congress is expected to remove the NFA registration requirement for suppressors, leaving Texas law more restrictive than Federal. The goal is to mirror federal law in anticipation of the change while not impacting current statute if the change does not occur. HB1819 by Rep Springer/SB842 by Sen. Estes
#9 Constitutional Carry.
In 1870, under Union occupation and with a state population of less than 1.5 million, the Texas Legislature passed language found today in PC46.02, restricting the possession of a handgun to a person's property or property under their control with few exceptions. The possession of long guns, meaning rifles and shotguns, was not included in statute.
The first step toward restoration of the right to possess a handgun occurred in 1995 with the passage of the Texas CHL. The next significant step toward constitutional carry occurred in 2007 with passage of language to allow the unlicensed possession of a handgun, stored out of sight, in a personal vehicle, in an RV or travel trailer, or a watercraft.
If a Texan is eligible under state and federal law to purchase and possess a firearm, they should be able to have a handgun, on or about their person, with or without a state-issued license.
HB375 by Rep. Jonathan Stickland
HB1911 by Rep. James White
#10 Sport Shooting Range Protection relating to the qualification requirements for shooting range experts. Texas outdoor shooting ranges are under siege by urban growth and development. SB1447 by Sen. Craig Estes adds a layer of protection by placing in statute definitions for those who qualify to give testimony in court as range experts.
