By Galloway S.B. No. 613 74R4541 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 a defense to prosecution under this section for 1-7 the offense of carrying a handgun that the actor, at the time of 1-8 the commission of the offense: 1-9 (1) had previously not been convicted of a felony; and 1-10 (2) was carrying the handgun in a motor vehicle owned 1-11 or operated by the actor or was immediately en route between the 1-12 motor vehicle and another place where a handgun may be lawfully 1-13 carried. 1-14 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies 1-15 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 1-16 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 1-17 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 1-18 before that date. 1-19 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 1-20 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 1-21 and the former law is continued in effect for this purpose. 1-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 1-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.