BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2993 By: Guillen Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that current law does not explicitly allow county commissioners who are licensed to carry a handgun to do so in certain restricted areas while performing their official duties, and that this omission creates a discrepancy between county commissioners and other elected officials, such as judges and district attorneys, who already have that ability. H.B. 2993 seeks to address this issue by including county commissioners among the individuals who are permitted to carry a handgun, if appropriately licensed, in locations where the general public may otherwise be restricted from doing so. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 2993 amends the Penal Code to exempt a county commissioner who is carrying a handgun under the authority of a handgun license from the application of the following offenses: the offense of unlawful carrying of a weapon; and the offense of possessing or going with certain weapons in a place where weapons are prohibited. The bill applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2993
By: Guillen
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 2993
By: Guillen
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that current law does not explicitly allow county commissioners who are licensed to carry a handgun to do so in certain restricted areas while performing their official duties, and that this omission creates a discrepancy between county commissioners and other elected officials, such as judges and district attorneys, who already have that ability. H.B. 2993 seeks to address this issue by including county commissioners among the individuals who are permitted to carry a handgun, if appropriately licensed, in locations where the general public may otherwise be restricted from doing so.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 2993 amends the Penal Code to exempt a county commissioner who is carrying a handgun under the authority of a handgun license from the application of the following offenses: the offense of unlawful carrying of a weapon; and the offense of possessing or going with certain weapons in a place where weapons are prohibited. The bill applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that current law does not explicitly allow county commissioners who are licensed to carry a handgun to do so in certain restricted areas while performing their official duties, and that this omission creates a discrepancy between county commissioners and other elected officials, such as judges and district attorneys, who already have that ability. H.B. 2993 seeks to address this issue by including county commissioners among the individuals who are permitted to carry a handgun, if appropriately licensed, in locations where the general public may otherwise be restricted from doing so.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 2993 amends the Penal Code to exempt a county commissioner who is carrying a handgun under the authority of a handgun license from the application of the following offenses:
the offense of unlawful carrying of a weapon; and
the offense of possessing or going with certain weapons in a place where weapons are prohibited.
The bill applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.