89R5972 JDK-D By: Slawson H.B. No. 3924 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the open carrying of a handgun by a uniformed school marshal. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 37.0811(c) and (d), Education Code, are amended to read as follows: (c) A school marshal appointed by the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school may carry [a concealed handgun] or possess a handgun on the physical premises of a school, but only: (1) in the manner provided by written regulations adopted by the board of trustees or the governing body; and (2) at a specific school as specified by the board of trustees or governing body, as applicable. (d) Any written regulations adopted for purposes of Subsection (c) must: (1) provide that a school marshal may: (A) carry a concealed handgun on the school marshal's person; (B) if wearing a uniform identifying the marshal as a school marshal, openly carry a handgun on the school marshal's person; or (C) possess the handgun on the physical premises of a school in a locked and secured safe or other locked and secured location; and (2) [. The written regulations must also] require that a handgun carried or possessed by a school marshal [may] be loaded only with frangible duty ammunition approved for that purpose by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. SECTION 2. Sections 37.0813(c) and (d), Education Code, are amended to read as follows: (c) A school marshal appointed by the governing body of a private school may carry [a concealed handgun] or possess a handgun on the physical premises of a school, but only in the manner provided by written regulations adopted by the governing body. (d) Any written regulations adopted for purposes of Subsection (c) must: (1) provide that a school marshal may: (A) carry a concealed handgun on the school marshal's person; (B) if wearing a uniform identifying the marshal as a school marshal, openly carry a handgun on the school marshal's person; or (C) possess the handgun on the physical premises of a school in a locked and secured safe or other locked and secured location; and (2) [. The written regulations must also] require that a handgun carried or possessed by a school marshal [may] be loaded only with frangible duty ammunition approved for that purpose by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. SECTION 3. Section 51.220(d), Education Code, is amended to read as follows: (d) A school marshal appointed by the governing board of a public junior college may carry [a concealed handgun] or possess a handgun on the physical premises of a public junior college campus, but only: (1) in the manner provided by written regulations adopted by the governing board; and (2) at a specific public junior college campus as specified by the governing board. SECTION 4. Section 51.220(e), Education Code, as amended by Chapters 795 (H.B. 781) and 851 (S.B. 741), Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is reenacted and amended to read as follows: (e) Any written regulations adopted for purposes of Subsection (d): (1) must [: [(A)] authorize a school marshal to: (A) carry a concealed handgun [as described by Subsection (d)] on the school marshal's person; (B) if wearing a uniform identifying the marshal as a school marshal, openly carry a handgun on the school marshal's person; or (C) possess the handgun on the physical premises of a public junior college campus in a locked and secured safe or other locked and secured location; [and] (2) must [(B)] require that a handgun carried or possessed by a school marshal [to] be loaded only with frangible duty ammunition approved for that purpose by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; and (3) [(2)] may not require a school marshal to store the handgun in a locked container while on duty. SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.