BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 644 By: Bell, Cecil Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current state law does not address the potential liability of a business for damages that arise from allowing handgun license holders to lawfully carry concealed handguns on the premises of the business. H.B. 644 seeks to address this issue by exempting a person with control over a business who allows a handgun license holder with a concealed handgun on the premises from liability based solely on that permission for damages arising from the license holder lawfully carrying a concealed handgun. 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. 644 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to exempt a person with control over the premises of a business who allows entry on the premises by a handgun license holder with a concealed handgun from liability based solely on that permission for damages arising from the lawful carrying of a concealed handgun on the premises by the license holder. The bill establishes that the lack of an oral or written communication constituting notice that entry on the property by a license holder with a concealed handgun is forbidden for purposes of the applicable trespass offense is sufficient to constitute allowing entry on the premises by such a license holder for purposes of the liability exemption. H.B. 644 does not apply to a cause of action that accrued before the bill's effective date. A cause of action that accrued before the bill's effective date is governed by the law applicable to the cause of action immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 644
By: Bell, Cecil
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 644
By: Bell, Cecil
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current state law does not address the potential liability of a business for damages that arise from allowing handgun license holders to lawfully carry concealed handguns on the premises of the business. H.B. 644 seeks to address this issue by exempting a person with control over a business who allows a handgun license holder with a concealed handgun on the premises from liability based solely on that permission for damages arising from the license holder lawfully carrying a concealed handgun.
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. 644 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to exempt a person with control over the premises of a business who allows entry on the premises by a handgun license holder with a concealed handgun from liability based solely on that permission for damages arising from the lawful carrying of a concealed handgun on the premises by the license holder. The bill establishes that the lack of an oral or written communication constituting notice that entry on the property by a license holder with a concealed handgun is forbidden for purposes of the applicable trespass offense is sufficient to constitute allowing entry on the premises by such a license holder for purposes of the liability exemption. H.B. 644 does not apply to a cause of action that accrued before the bill's effective date. A cause of action that accrued before the bill's effective date is governed by the law applicable to the cause of action immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current state law does not address the potential liability of a business for damages that arise from allowing handgun license holders to lawfully carry concealed handguns on the premises of the business. H.B. 644 seeks to address this issue by exempting a person with control over a business who allows a handgun license holder with a concealed handgun on the premises from liability based solely on that permission for damages arising from the license holder lawfully carrying a concealed handgun.
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. 644 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to exempt a person with control over the premises of a business who allows entry on the premises by a handgun license holder with a concealed handgun from liability based solely on that permission for damages arising from the lawful carrying of a concealed handgun on the premises by the license holder. The bill establishes that the lack of an oral or written communication constituting notice that entry on the property by a license holder with a concealed handgun is forbidden for purposes of the applicable trespass offense is sufficient to constitute allowing entry on the premises by such a license holder for purposes of the liability exemption.
H.B. 644 does not apply to a cause of action that accrued before the bill's effective date. A cause of action that accrued before the bill's effective date is governed by the law applicable to the cause of action immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.