By Danburg                                      H.B. No. 1980

      75R6981 PEP-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to creating an offense for the unlawful transfer of a

 1-3     handgun at a gun show.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 46.01, Penal Code, is amended by adding

 1-6     Subdivisions (17) and (18) to read as follows:

 1-7                 (17)  "Firearms dealer" means a person licensed as a

 1-8     firearms dealer under 18 U.S.C. Section 921 et seq.

 1-9                 (18)  "Gun show" means a place or an event, other than

1-10     a permanent retail store, at which:

1-11                       (A)  three or more individuals assemble to

1-12     display firearms or firearm components to the public; and

1-13                       (B)  a fee is charged for the privilege of

1-14     displaying the firearms or firearm components or a fee is charged

1-15     for admission to the area where the firearms or components are

1-16     displayed.

1-17           SECTION 2.  Chapter 46, Penal Code, is amended by adding

1-18     Section 46.065 to read as follows:

1-19           Sec. 46.065.  UNLAWFUL TRANSFER OF HANDGUN AT GUN SHOW.

1-20     (a)  A person other than a firearms dealer commits an offense if

1-21     the person knowingly sells  a handgun to any person at a gun show.

1-22           (b)  An offense under this section is a felony of the third

1-23     degree.

1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.