H.B. No. 2604
AN ACT
relating to a concealed handgun license application that is
submitted by a peace officer or a member of the state military
forces.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 411.1991, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (a-1) and
(a-2) to read as follows:
(a) A person who is licensed as a peace officer under
Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, and [is] employed as a peace
officer by a law enforcement agency, or who is a member of the Texas
military forces, excluding Texas State Guard members who are
serving in the Texas Legislature, may apply for a license under this
subchapter.
(a-1) An applicant who is a peace officer [The person] shall
submit to the department [two complete sets of legible and
classifiable fingerprints and a sworn statement of the head of the
law enforcement agency employing the applicant. 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; and
(2) a current copy of the applicant's peace officer
license and evidence of employment as a peace officer [whether the
applicant has been accused of misconduct at any time during the
applicant's period of employment with the agency and the
disposition of that accusation;
[(3) a description of the physical and mental
condition of the applicant;
[(4) a list of the types of weapons the applicant has
demonstrated proficiency with during the preceding year; and
[(5) a recommendation from the agency head that a
license be issued to the person under this subchapter].
(a-2) The department shall adopt rules regarding the
information required to be included in an application submitted by
a member of the Texas military forces under this section.
(b) The department may issue a license under this subchapter
to an applicant under this section if the [statement from the head
of the law enforcement agency employing the] applicant complies
with Subsection (a-1) or rules adopted under Subsection (a-2), as
applicable [(a) and indicates that the applicant is qualified and
physically and mentally fit to carry a handgun].
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an application for a license to carry a concealed handgun that is
submitted to the Department of Public Safety on or after the
effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2604 was passed by the House on April
16, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2604 was passed by the Senate on May
15, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor