| 1 | 1 | | By: Geren, et al (Senate Sponsor - Eltife) H.B. No. 2131 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Received from the House April 20, 2011; |
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| 3 | 3 | | April 26, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 4 | 4 | | Administration; May 5, 2011, reported favorably by the following |
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| 5 | 5 | | vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 5, 2011, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 9 | 9 | | AN ACT |
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| 10 | 10 | | relating to the issuance of a pass for expedited access to the State |
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| 11 | 11 | | Capitol. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 411.0625 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 411.0625. PASS FOR EXPEDITED ACCESS TO CAPITOL. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (a) The department shall allow a person to enter the Capitol and |
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| 17 | 17 | | the Capitol Extension, including any public space in the Capitol or |
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| 18 | 18 | | Capitol Extension, in the same manner as the department allows |
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| 19 | 19 | | entry to a person who presents a concealed handgun license under |
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| 20 | 20 | | Subchapter H if the person: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) obtains from the department a Capitol access pass; |
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| 22 | 22 | | and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) presents the pass to the appropriate law |
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| 24 | 24 | | enforcement official when entering the building or a space within |
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| 25 | 25 | | the building. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) To be eligible for a Capitol access pass, a person must |
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| 27 | 27 | | meet the eligibility requirements applicable to a license to carry |
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| 28 | 28 | | a concealed handgun under Subchapter H, other than requirements |
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| 29 | 29 | | regarding evidence of handgun proficiency. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c) The department shall adopt rules to establish a |
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| 31 | 31 | | procedure by which a resident of the state may apply for and be |
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| 32 | 32 | | issued a Capitol access pass. Rules adopted under this section must |
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| 33 | 33 | | include provisions for eligibility, application, approval, |
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| 34 | 34 | | issuance, and renewal that: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) require the department to conduct the same |
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| 36 | 36 | | background check on an applicant for a Capitol access pass that is |
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| 37 | 37 | | conducted on an applicant for a concealed handgun license under |
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| 38 | 38 | | Subchapter H; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) enable the department to conduct the background |
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| 40 | 40 | | check described by Subdivision (1); and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (3) establish application and renewal fees in amounts |
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| 42 | 42 | | sufficient to cover the cost of administering this section, not to |
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| 43 | 43 | | exceed the amounts of similar fees required for a concealed handgun |
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| 44 | 44 | | license under Section 411.174. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 46 | 46 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 47 | 47 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 49 | 49 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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| 50 | 50 | | * * * * * |
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