| 1 | 1 | | 89R5037 MZM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 691 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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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 the registration of firearms; creating a criminal |
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| 10 | 10 | | offense; authorizing a fee. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Subchapter H-1 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SUBCHAPTER H-1. REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 411.221. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "firearm" |
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| 16 | 16 | | has the meaning assigned by Section 46.01, Penal Code. |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 411.222. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; ADMINISTRATION. (a) |
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| 18 | 18 | | The commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement this |
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| 19 | 19 | | subchapter. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) The department shall: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) administer this subchapter and the rules adopted |
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| 22 | 22 | | by the director under this subchapter; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) take action necessary to ensure compliance with |
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| 24 | 24 | | this subchapter. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 411.223. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. (a) This |
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| 26 | 26 | | subchapter applies to a person who: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (1) is a resident of this state and who on or after |
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| 28 | 28 | | January 1, 2026, acquires a firearm for the purpose of possessing |
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| 29 | 29 | | the firearm in this state; or |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) enters this state on or after January 1, 2026, for |
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| 31 | 31 | | the purpose of residing in this state and who possesses a firearm, |
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| 32 | 32 | | regardless of when the person acquired the firearm. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) A person to whom this subchapter applies shall submit an |
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| 34 | 34 | | application for a certificate of registration for a firearm with |
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| 35 | 35 | | the department on a form prescribed by the department that includes |
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| 36 | 36 | | the information described by Subsection (c) not later than the 30th |
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| 37 | 37 | | day after the date the person: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) acquires the firearm, if the person is described |
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| 39 | 39 | | by Subsection (a)(1); or |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) enters this state with the firearm, if the person |
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| 41 | 41 | | is described by Subsection (a)(2). |
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| 42 | 42 | | (c) The application must include: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) the owner's: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (A) full name and place and date of birth; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (B) residence and business addresses; and |
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| 46 | 46 | | (C) driver's license number or identification |
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| 47 | 47 | | certificate number issued by the department, or if the owner is a |
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| 48 | 48 | | new resident of this state, information necessary to prove identity |
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| 49 | 49 | | to the satisfaction of the department; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) the name of the manufacturer of the firearm; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (3) the model, type of action, caliber or gauge, and |
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| 52 | 52 | | serial number of the firearm; and |
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| 53 | 53 | | (4) the source from which the firearm was obtained, |
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| 54 | 54 | | including the previous owner's name and address. |
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| 55 | 55 | | (d) An application for a certificate of registration must be |
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| 56 | 56 | | accompanied by the required registration fee. |
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| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 411.224. REGISTRATION FEE. The department shall |
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| 58 | 58 | | charge for issuance of a certificate of registration a reasonable |
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| 59 | 59 | | fee in the amount necessary to cover the costs of administering this |
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| 60 | 60 | | subchapter. |
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| 61 | 61 | | Sec. 411.225. CHANGE OF INFORMATION. If the information |
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| 62 | 62 | | provided to the department in connection with a certificate of |
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| 63 | 63 | | registration changes, the certificate holder shall notify the |
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| 64 | 64 | | department in the form and manner prescribed by the department not |
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| 65 | 65 | | later than the 30th day after the date the change occurs. |
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| 66 | 66 | | Sec. 411.226. CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) A person commits an |
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| 67 | 67 | | offense if the person fails to register a firearm in violation of |
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| 68 | 68 | | this subchapter. |
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| 69 | 69 | | (b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class C |
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| 70 | 70 | | misdemeanor. |
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| 71 | 71 | | SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025: |
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| 72 | 72 | | (1) the public safety director of the Department of |
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| 73 | 73 | | Public Safety of the State of Texas shall adopt the rules necessary |
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| 74 | 74 | | to implement Subchapter H-1, Chapter 411, Government Code, as added |
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| 75 | 75 | | by this Act; and |
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| 76 | 76 | | (2) the department shall create the application form |
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| 77 | 77 | | and the change of information form required by Subchapter H-1, |
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| 78 | 78 | | Chapter 411, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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| 80 | 80 | | section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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| 81 | 81 | | (b) Section 411.226, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
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| 82 | 82 | | takes effect January 1, 2026. |
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