SRC-TAG H.B. 1704 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1704
By: Taylor (Janek)
Criminal Justice
5/18/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

H.B. 1704 establishes eligibility requirements for a license to carry a
concealed handgun.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 411.172(b), Government Code, to provide that
for the purposes of this section, an offense under the laws of this state,
another state, or the United States is a felony if the offense, at the
time of a person's application for a license to carry a concealed handgun
is designated by a law of this state as a felony; contains all the
elements of an offense designated by a law of this state as a felony; or
is punishable by confinement for one year or more in a penitentiary. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 411.173, Government Code, by amending
Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows: 

(a)  Requires the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to establish by
rule a procedure for a person who meets the eligibility requirements of
this subchapter other than the residency requirement established by
Section 411.172(a)(1) to obtain a license under this subchapter if the
person is a legal resident of a state that does not provide for the
issuance of a license to carry a concealed handgun or if the person
relocates to this state with the intent to establish residency in this
state. 

(a-1)  Provides that if a state whose residents may obtain a license under
this subchapter by following the procedure established under Subsection
(a) enacts a law providing for the issuance of a license to carry a
concealed handgun, a license issued under this subchapter to a resident of
that state remains in effect until the license expires under Section
411.183; and  may be renewed under Section 411.185 unless DPS negotiates
an agreement with that state under Subsection (b). 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.