| 1 | 1 | | 85R23258 JRR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Leach H.B. No. 621 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 621: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Burns C.S.H.B. No. 621 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to requirements for certain applicants to obtain an |
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| 10 | 10 | | original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a |
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| 11 | 11 | | handgun; waiving a fee. |
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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. Section 411.175, Government Code, is amended to |
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| 14 | 14 | | read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 411.175. PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING FINGERPRINTS. The |
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| 16 | 16 | | department shall establish procedures for the submission of legible |
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| 17 | 17 | | and classifiable fingerprints by an applicant for a license under |
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| 18 | 18 | | this subchapter who: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) is required to submit those fingerprints to the |
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| 20 | 20 | | department, including an applicant under Section 411.199, |
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| 21 | 21 | | 411.1991, 411.1992, 411.1993, or 411.201; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) resides in a county having a population of 46,000 |
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| 23 | 23 | | or less and does not reside within a 25-mile radius of a facility |
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| 24 | 24 | | with the capability to process digital or electronic fingerprints. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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| 26 | 26 | | amended by amending Section 411.1991 and adding Section 411.1993 to |
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| 27 | 27 | | read as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | Sec. 411.1991. PEACE OFFICERS. (a) A person who is |
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| 29 | 29 | | licensed as a peace officer under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, |
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| 30 | 30 | | and employed as a peace officer by a law enforcement agency[, or who |
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| 31 | 31 | | is a member of the Texas military forces, excluding Texas State |
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| 32 | 32 | | Guard members who are serving in the Texas Legislature,] may apply |
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| 33 | 33 | | for a license under this subchapter. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) [(a-1)] An applicant who is a peace officer shall submit |
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| 35 | 35 | | to the department: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) the name and rank of the applicant; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) a current copy of the applicant's peace officer |
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| 38 | 38 | | license and evidence of employment as a peace officer. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (c) The department may issue a license under this subchapter |
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| 40 | 40 | | to an applicant under this section if the applicant complies with |
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| 41 | 41 | | Subsection (b) and meets all other requirements of this subchapter, |
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| 42 | 42 | | except that the applicant is not required to complete the handgun |
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| 43 | 43 | | proficiency course described by Section 411.188. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (d) The department shall waive any fee required for the |
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| 45 | 45 | | issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license |
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| 46 | 46 | | under this subchapter for an applicant under this section. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (e) A license issued to an applicant under this section |
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| 48 | 48 | | expires as provided by Section 411.183. |
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| 49 | 49 | | Sec. 411.1993. CERTAIN MEMBERS OF TEXAS MILITARY FORCES. |
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| 50 | 50 | | (a) A person who is a member of the Texas military forces, other |
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| 51 | 51 | | than a member of the Texas State Guard who is serving in the Texas |
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| 52 | 52 | | Legislature, may apply for a license under this subchapter. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (b) [(a-2)] The department shall adopt rules regarding the |
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| 54 | 54 | | information required to be included in an application submitted by |
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| 55 | 55 | | a member of the Texas military forces under this section. |
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| 56 | 56 | | (c) [(b)] The department may issue a license under this |
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| 57 | 57 | | subchapter to an applicant under this section if the applicant |
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| 58 | 58 | | complies with the [Subsection (a-1) or] rules adopted under |
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| 59 | 59 | | Subsection (b) [(a-2), as applicable]. |
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| 60 | 60 | | (d) [(c)] An applicant under this section shall pay a fee of |
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| 61 | 61 | | $25 for a license issued under this subchapter. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (e) [(d)] A license issued to an applicant under this |
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| 63 | 63 | | section expires as provided by Section 411.183. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 65 | 65 | | to an application that is made to obtain an original, duplicate, |
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| 66 | 66 | | modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun and submitted on or |
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| 67 | 67 | | after the effective date of this Act. An application described by |
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| 68 | 68 | | this section that is submitted before the effective date of this Act |
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| 69 | 69 | | is governed by the law in effect when the application was submitted, |
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| 70 | 70 | | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 71 | 71 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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