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.