By Dutton H.B. No. 1768 74R7225 PEP-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the offense of unlawful carrying of a handgun. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 46.02, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-5 Subsection (g) to read as follows: 1-6 (g) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this 1-7 section for the offense of carrying a handgun that the actor, at 1-8 the time of the commission of the offense: 1-9 (1) was legally registered to vote in this state; and 1-10 (2) either: 1-11 (A) had not failed to vote in two or more 1-12 consecutive general elections at which the actor was eligible to 1-13 vote; or 1-14 (B) had voted in three or more consecutive 1-15 general elections after failing to vote in two or more consecutive 1-16 general elections at which the actor was eligible to vote. 1-17 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies 1-18 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 1-19 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 1-20 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 1-21 before that date. 1-22 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 1-23 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 1-24 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-2 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.