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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a handgun safety course required for the transfer of a |
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handgun. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter H-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER H-1. HANDGUN SAFETY |
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Sec. 411.221. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Handgun" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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46.01, Penal Code. |
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(2) "Qualified handgun instructor" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 411.171. |
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Sec. 411.222. HANDGUN SAFETY COURSE. (a) The director by |
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rule shall establish minimum standards for a handgun safety course |
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that a person may complete to receive a certificate of completion |
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from the department under this section. The course must be |
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administered by a qualified handgun instructor. |
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(b) The department shall issue a certificate of completion |
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to a person who completes the handgun safety course under |
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Subsection (a). |
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(c) A person is responsible for paying to the course |
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provider the costs of a handgun safety course under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 46.06(a), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to |
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any person knowing that the person to whom the handgun is to be |
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delivered intends to use it unlawfully or in the commission of an |
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unlawful act; |
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(2) intentionally or knowingly sells, rents, leases, |
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or gives or offers to sell, rent, lease, or give to any child |
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younger than 18 years of age any firearm, club, or |
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location-restricted knife; |
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(3) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly sells a |
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firearm or ammunition for a firearm to any person who is |
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intoxicated; |
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(4) knowingly sells a firearm or ammunition for a |
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firearm to any person who has been convicted of a felony before the |
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fifth anniversary of the later of the following dates: |
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(A) the person's release from confinement |
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following conviction of the felony; or |
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(B) the person's release from supervision under |
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community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision following |
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conviction of the felony; |
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(5) sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to |
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any person knowing that an active protective order is directed to |
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the person to whom the handgun is to be delivered; |
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(6) knowingly purchases, rents, leases, or receives as |
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a loan or gift from another a handgun while an active protective |
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order is directed to the actor; [or] |
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(7) while prohibited from possessing a firearm under |
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state or federal law, knowingly makes a material false statement on |
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a form that is: |
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(A) required by state or federal law for the |
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purchase, sale, or other transfer of a firearm; and |
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(B) submitted to a firearms dealer licensed under |
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18 U.S.C. Section 923; or |
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(8) sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to |
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any person without first verifying that the person possesses a |
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certificate of completion issued by the Department of Public Safety |
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under Section 411.222, Government Code. |
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SECTION 3. The public safety director of the Department of |
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Public Safety shall adopt the rules necessary to implement Section |
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411.222, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
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December 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 4. Section 46.06(a), Penal Code, as amended by this |
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Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after January 1, |
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2026. An offense committed before January 1, 2026, is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of |
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this section, an offense was committed before January 1, 2026, if |
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any element of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |