By: Guillen H.B. No. 333
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring notice of a hotel's firearms policy;
providing a civil penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 2155, Occupations Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter C to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER C. FIREARMS POLICY NOTICE
Sec. 2155.101. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "hotel" has
the meaning assigned by Section 156.001, Tax Code.
Sec. 2155.102. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
applies only to a hotel that has a policy prohibiting or restricting
the possession, storage, or transportation of firearms by hotel
guests.
Sec. 2155.103. NOTICE REGARDING FIREARMS POLICY. (a) A
hotel shall post on the hotel's Internet reservation website the
hotel's policy regarding the possession, storage, and
transportation of firearms. The hotel shall require the consumer
to acknowledge that the consumer has read the hotel's firearms
policy before the consumer finalizes the reservation with the
hotel.
(b) A hotel shall include information on how a consumer may
review the hotel's policy regarding the possession, storage, and
transportation of firearms if the hotel provides a written
confirmation or other terms and conditions to the consumer after
accepting the consumer's hotel reservation by telephone.
Sec. 2155.104. COURT WARNING; CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A court
may issue a warning to a hotel for a first violation of this
subchapter. After receiving a warning for the first violation, the
hotel is liable to the state for a civil penalty of $200 for each
subsequent violation.
(b) The attorney general or an appropriate prosecuting
attorney may file suit for the issuance of a warning or the
collection of a civil penalty under this section.
(c) A civil penalty collected under this section shall be
sent to the comptroller for deposit in the general revenue fund.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.