By Goodman                                            H.B. No. 2872
         76R5996 PEP-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the reporting of advertisements for the sale of a
 1-3     deadly weapon.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 411.048 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 411.048.  REPORTING RELATED TO ADVERTISING SALE OF
 1-8     DEADLY WEAPON.  (a)  In this section:
 1-9                 (1)  "Deadly weapon" has the meaning assigned by
1-10     Section 1.07, Penal Code.
1-11                 (2)  "Periodical" includes a newspaper, magazine, and
1-12     any other printed material in which advertising is offered to the
1-13     public.
1-14           (b)  An individual or entity that publishes an advertisement
1-15     for the sale of a deadly weapon in a periodical shall submit a
1-16     report to the bureau of identification and records not later than
1-17     the fifth business day after the date the advertisement is
1-18     published.  The report must include:
1-19                 (1)  the name, social security number, address, and
1-20     telephone number of the proposed seller of the weapon;
1-21                 (2)  a description of the weapon; and
1-22                 (3)  the text of the advertisement.
1-23           (c)  The bureau of identification and records shall establish
1-24     and maintain a central repository for the collection and analysis
 2-1     of information relating to advertisements for the sale of a deadly
 2-2     weapon in a periodical.
 2-3           (d)  Information maintained in the central repository is
 2-4     confidential, except that the department shall make information in
 2-5     the central repository available to any law enforcement agency,
 2-6     state agency, or political subdivision to the extent the
 2-7     information is reasonably necessary or useful to the agency or
 2-8     subdivision in carrying out duties imposed by law.
 2-9           (e)  The department by rule shall establish procedures for
2-10     individuals and entities required to report under this section and
2-11     shall adopt a standard form to be used by the individuals and
2-12     entities in making a report.
2-13           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Department of Public Safety shall
2-14     establish the procedures and adopt the form required by Section
2-15     411.048, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2000.
2-16           (b)  The change in law made by this Act applies only to an
2-17     individual or entity that publishes an advertisement for the sale
2-18     of a deadly weapon in a periodical on or after January 1, 2000.
2-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-25     passage, and it is so enacted.