Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 11	Senate Author:  Birdwell et al.
Effective:  8-1-16	House Sponsor:  Fletcher

            Senate Bill 11 amends the Government Code and Penal Code to authorize a concealed handgun license holder to carry a concealed handgun while on the campus of a public, private, or independent institution of higher education in Texas, except that after appropriate consultation a private or independent institution may prohibit license holders from carrying handguns on its campus, any grounds or building on which a university-sponsored activity is being conducted, or certain university-owned vehicles. Public, private, or independent institutions of higher education are authorized to establish regulatory provisions concerning the storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential facilities that are owned or leased and operated by the institution and located on the institution's campus.

The president or other chief executive officer of a public institution of higher education, after appropriate consultation, is required to establish reasonable regulatory provisions regarding carrying concealed handguns by license holders on the campus of the institution or premises located on the campus. The establishment of regulatory provisions that generally ban a license holder from carrying a concealed handgun on the campus of a public institution of higher education or have that same effect is prohibited. The board of regents or other governing board of a public institution of higher education is required to review the regulatory provisions and may, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the board, wholly or partly amend those provisions. Each public institution of higher education is required to submit a biennial report to the legislature and each appropriate standing committee that describes its regulatory provisions regarding carrying concealed handguns on campus and explains the reasoning for adopting those provisions.  The bill sets out provisions relating to limitation of liability for applicable institutions of higher education and an institution's officers and employees under statutory provisions governing concealed handgun licenses.

A concealed handgun license holder commits a Class A misdemeanor offense if the license holder carries a partially or wholly visible handgun, regardless of whether the handgun is holstered, on or about the actor's body and intentionally or knowingly displays the handgun in plain view of another person on the premises of or on certain streets, walkways, driveways, or parking areas of a public, private, or independent institution of higher education; carries a handgun on the campus of a private or independent institution of higher education that has banned the carrying of handguns, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, provided effective notice is given; or intentionally carries a concealed handgun on a portion of the campus of a public institution of higher education that has adopted rules prohibiting such carrying, provided effective notice is given.

Senate Bill 11 does not apply to a public junior college before August 1, 2017.