SRC-TAG S.B. 501 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 501
78R3920 PEP-DBy: Armbrister
Criminal Justice
3/10/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current Texas law regarding concealed handgun licenses lacks clarifying
language regarding where a license holder may lawfully carry a handgun.
As proposed, S.B. 501 provides uniformity and consistency in Texas'
concealed handgun license law for both licensees and law enforcement. 

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 30.05, Penal Code, by adding Subsection (f), as
follows: 

(f)  Provides that it is an exception to the application of this section
regarding criminal trespass that: 

(1)  The property or land on which the person entered was owned or leased
by governmental entity and was not property or land described by Section
46.03 (Places Weapons Prohibited) or Section 46.035 (Unlawful Carrying of
Handgun by License Holder); 

(2)  the basis on which entry on the property or land was forbidden is
that entry with a handgun was forbidden; and 

(3)  the person was carrying a concealed handgun and a license issued
under Chapter 411H (License to Carry a Concealed Handgun), Government
Code, to carry a concealed handgun of the same category the person was
carrying. 

SECTION 2.   Amends Section 30.06, Penal Code, by adding Subsection (e),
to provide that it is an exception to the application of this section when
a  license holder carries a handgun on property owned or leased by a
governmental entity that  does not meet the specification of Section 46.03
or 46.035. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.
            Makes application of this Act prospective.