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Senate Bill 273 |
Senate Author: Campbell et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-15 |
House Sponsor: Guillen |
Senate Bill 273 amends the Government Code and Penal Code to prohibit a state agency or a political subdivision from wrongfully posting notice excluding a concealed handgun license holder from carrying a handgun and to make an agency or subdivision found violating that prohibition civilly liable. A Texas citizen or a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun is authorized to file a complaint with the attorney general if the citizen or person provides the applicable agency or subdivision with written notice describing the violation and the violation is not cured within the specified time frame. The attorney general or appropriate county or district attorney may sue the agency or subdivision to collect a civil penalty if, after investigation, the attorney general determines that legal action is warranted and that the violation has not been properly cured. Sovereign immunity to suit is waived and abolished to the extent of liability created by the bill. The scope of the offense of a concealed handgun license holder intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carrying a handgun at a meeting of a governmental entity is narrowed to encompass only such carrying of a handgun in the room or rooms where a governmental entity is holding an open meeting for which proper meeting notice was provided.