Quick Overview of Pro-Second Amendment Bills in the Texas Legislature

Dwight was kind enough to provide a quick rundown on a few pro-Second Amendment bills making their way through the Texas legislature. He also linked to the TSRAPAC site, which includes even more bill information. (I’ve also found Texas Firearms Freedom useful, and it includes a few more bills.) Since I’ve been meaning to do a rundown on these, and since I run a full-service blog, here’s an even more brief, high level summary of the state of various bills, with links to the text of the bills themselves:

  • Reduce CHL classes to 4 hours (HB 47/SB 864): Awaiting Governor Perry’s signature.
  • CHL BAC (HB 153): Would set allowable blood alcohol content for a CHL holder carrying at .08 (same as for DWI), up from the current “0.0”: Passed House, appears to be dead in the Senate.
  • Requires advanced notice from hotels that ban guns (HB 333): Awaiting Governor Perry’s signature.
  • Open carry for CHL holders (HB 700): Died in committee.
  • “Come and Take It” (HB 928): Preempts the federal government from using state officials in Texas to enforce unconstitutional firearms restrictions. Passed House, Democrats in Senate threatening to filibuster.
  • Campus Concealed Carry (HB 972): Passed House, passed out of Senate committee (SB 182), needs 21 votes to get Senate floor vote.
  • Clarification of display of firearm (SB 299): Technical bill, basically changes definition from “fails to conceal” to “displays.” Awaiting Governor Perry’s signature.
  • Limiting improper 30.06 signage (HB 508): Prevents cities from improper, unenforceable posting of PC 30.06 sign. Passed House, on the Senate calendar for May 20.
  • Ease in CHL fingerprinting requirements (HB 698): Let’s those living more than 25 miles away from a digital fingerprinting shop self-submit fingerprints. Passed House, on the Senate calendar for May 20. (According to TPPF‘s David Guenthner on Twitter, this has passed the Senate, so it’s awaiting Governor Perry’s signature as well.)
  • Prevent asking for a Social Security number on a CHL application (HB 1349): Passed House, passed Senate committee, pending vote in the Senate.
  • Sell rather than destroy confiscated firearms (HB 1421/SB 343): Awaiting Governor Perry’s signature.
  • Combine revolver/automatic CHLs (HB 3142): Currently, if you pass the CHL practical test with an automatic, you could carry either an automatic or a revolver, but if you passed with a revolver, you could only carry a revolver. This bill eliminates that distinction. Passed House, scheduled for May 20.
  • Eliminate “Gun Free Zones (HB3218): Died in the House.
  • I can’t find any online record for the stuff scheduled for May 20. I’ll let you know if I do.

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    2 Responses to “Quick Overview of Pro-Second Amendment Bills in the Texas Legislature”

    1. […] at Battleswarm, Lawrence has given my post a full ass, with a quick overview of the various bills and their individual statuses, complete with links. I commend his post to your […]

    2. […] A rundown on Texas gun laws signed into law from the most recent session. (Previously.) […]

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