JWW H.B. 3486 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS PUBLIC SAFETY H.B. 3486 By: Holzheauser 4-16-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND When a peace officer applies to purchase a handgun, they must show a permit and undergo a background check. This is a duplication of the process that the applicant has already undergone. As an active peace officer, both the background check and the permit have already been done by the agency that employs the officer, and to require these items again would be a repetitive act. PURPOSE To ease the process of licencing active peace officers to purchase a handgun. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1 Amends Section 28A, Article 4413 (29ee), Revised Statutes, (a) to allow full time, law enforcement agency employed peace officers to apply for a license under Chapter 415, Government Code. Requires applicants to submit two sets of legible and classifiable fingerprints and a sworn statement from the head of the law enforcement agency employing the applicant. This statement must includes the name and rank of the applicant, whether the applicant has been accused of misconduct during their employment with the agency and the outcome of that accusation, physical and mental disposition of the applicant, types of weapons that the applicant proved to be proficient with during the preceding year, and a recommendation from the head of that agency that the license be issued. (b) A licence may be issued if the statement from the head of the law enforcement agency that employs the applicant reflects that the applicant is qualified and mental and physically fit to carry a handgun. (c) The applicant fee for the licence will be $25. (d) The license expires as provided by Section 9 of this article. SECTION 2 Effective Date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 3 Emergency Clause.