TSRA email 4/4/2023
On Tuesday, April 4, the Texas House Select Committee on Community Safety will hear the following pro- and anti-gun bills listed below at 2:00pm, or upon adjournment of the House in Room E2.012 of the Texas Capitol. Please make plans to attend this hearing and voice your support of, or opposition to, these measures! For those persons who will be testifying, information for in-person witness registration, can be found
here.
If you cannot attend tomorrow's hearing, please contact committee members in SUPPORT of HB 2705, HB 2960, HB 3137, HB 4327, & HB 4827 and in OPPOSITION to HB 1617 & HB 3938.
Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments in FAVOR of, or AGAINST, these measures can do so until the hearing is adjourned by visiting
here.
A live video broadcast of this hearing will be available
here.
PRO-Gun legislation being heard:
House Bill 2705 (Rep. Richard Hayes-R)
Removes short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns from the list of prohibited weapons in Texas. These items will still be regulated under the National Firearms Act at the federal level.
House Bill 2960 (Rep. Briscoe Cain-R)
Simplifies provisions relating to defenses to prosecution against charges of carrying in a prohibited location by streamlining notice requirements, cleaning up provisions from last session's permitless carry bill.
House Bill 3137 (Rep. Carrie Isaac-R)
Restricts municipalities or counties under the state firearms preemption law from requiring firearm owners to obtain liability insurance.
House Bill 4327 (Rep. Cecil Bell-R)
Establishes a 90-day grace period for renewing a License To Carry which has expired.
House Bill 4827 (Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson-R)
Creates definitions of "educational institution" and "school" in the Penal Code to limit the ability of controllers of properties that are not schools to designate themselves as such, claiming that educational activities take place on their premises and therefore firearms are prohibited from those locations.
ANTI-Gun legislation being heard:
House Bill 1617 (Rep. Claudia Ordaz-D) & House Bill 3938 (Rep. Joe Moody-D)
Together, these bills expand notice requirements for persons being charged with certain misdemeanor offenses and who are subject to protective orders, some of which are issued without due process, that they are prohibited from possessing firearms and requiring any firearms in their possession to be surrendered within 10 days. The notice provisions do not include language that alerts defendants to their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and no methods of permissible firearms disposition, or provisions for return if a disqualifying condition is removed, are outlined in the bills.
Thank You for your continued support,
Dianna Greenwood
Acting Legislative Director
