Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1778 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R9200 AJZ-D
2	2	By: Garcia S.B. No. 1778
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the provision of information regarding firearm safety
8	8	and suicide prevention.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 411.188(b), Government Code, is amended
11	11	to read as follows:
12	12	(b) Only qualified handgun instructors may administer the
13	13	classroom instruction part or the range instruction part of the
14	14	handgun proficiency course. The classroom instruction part of the
15	15	course must include not less than four hours and not more than six
16	16	hours of instruction on:
17	17	(1) the laws that relate to weapons and to the use of
18	18	deadly force;
19	19	(2) handgun use and safety, including use of restraint
20	20	holsters and methods to ensure the secure carrying of openly
21	21	carried handguns;
22	22	(3) nonviolent dispute resolution; [and]
23	23	(4) proper storage practices for handguns with an
24	24	emphasis on storage practices that eliminate the possibility of
25	25	accidental injury to a child; and
26	26	(5) the information described by Section 411.189(a).
27	27	SECTION 2. Section 411.190(b), Government Code, is amended
28	28	to read as follows:
29	29	(b) In addition to the qualifications described by
30	30	Subsection (a), a qualified handgun instructor must be qualified to
31	31	instruct persons in:
32	32	(1) the laws that relate to weapons and to the use of
33	33	deadly force;
34	34	(2) handgun use, proficiency, and safety, including
35	35	use of restraint holsters and methods to ensure the secure carrying
36	36	of openly carried handguns;
37	37	(3) nonviolent dispute resolution; [and]
38	38	(4) proper storage practices for handguns, including
39	39	storage practices that eliminate the possibility of accidental
40	40	injury to a child; and
41	41	(5) the information described by Section 411.189(a).
42	42	SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
43	43	amended by adding Section 411.189 to read as follows:
44	44	Sec. 411.189. FIREARM SAFETY AND SUICIDE PREVENTION
45	45	INFORMATION. (a) The department shall post the following on the
46	46	department's Internet website:
47	47	(1) information regarding:
48	48	(A) the importance of an owner of a firearm
49	49	safely storing the firearm, particularly when a member of the
50	50	owner's family or household is at risk of suicide;
51	51	(B) the warning signs that a person is at risk of
52	52	suicide; and
53	53	(C) the rate of suicide in this state, including
54	54	statistics regarding the method of suicide used; and
55	55	(2) the phone number for the National Suicide
56	56	Prevention Lifeline.
57	57	(b) The department shall also include on the department's
58	58	Internet website information regarding the risk of suicide among
59	59	various age groups and veterans and the importance of safely
60	60	storing firearms around a person who is at risk of suicide.
61	61	(c) The department may provide the information described by
62	62	Subsection (a) to:
63	63	(1) a person who is a licensed firearms dealer under 18
64	64	U.S.C. Section 923;
65	65	(2) an owner or operator of a sport shooting range, as
66	66	defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code; or
67	67	(3) a promoter or operator of a gun show.
68	68	(d) The department may partner with suicide prevention
69	69	programs and use existing resources to provide the information
70	70	described by Subsection (a).
71	71	SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
72	72	amended by adding Section 531.02493 to read as follows:
73	73	Sec. 531.02493. FIREARM SAFETY AND SUICIDE PREVENTION
74	74	INFORMATION. (a) On the commission's Internet website the
75	75	commission shall post evidence-based information regarding the
76	76	importance of an owner of a firearm safely storing the firearm,
77	77	particularly when a member of the owner's family or household is at
78	78	risk of suicide.
79	79	(b) The commission shall also include the information
80	80	described by Subsection (a) on any portion of the commission's
81	81	Internet website that provides information primarily to veterans or
82	82	to minors and their parents.
83	83	(c) The commission may provide the information described by
84	84	Subsection (a) to:
85	85	(1) a person who is a licensed firearms dealer under 18
86	86	U.S.C. Section 923;
87	87	(2) an owner or operator of a sport shooting range, as
88	88	defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code; or
89	89	(3) a promoter or operator of a gun show.
90	90	(d) The commission may partner with suicide prevention
91	91	programs and use existing resources to provide the information
92	92	described by Subsection (a).
93	93	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.