HBA-MSH H.B. 1657 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1657 By: Talton Public Safety 3/7/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, only peace officers, authorized hunters, and employees of the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) are allowed to carry weapons on LCRA land. Certain premises, such as hospitals and bars, are required to post a notice that it is illegal to carry a handgun on the premises. LCRA does not post such notices on all of its land, making it possible that a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun would unknowingly violate the law and bring a handgun onto LCRA land. House Bill 1657 authorizes a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun to carry a handgun on LCRA land. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1657 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to authorize a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun to possess an appropriate concealed handgun on or across the land of the Lower Colorado River Authority and to shoot that handgun under circumstances in which the person would be justified in the use of deadly force. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.