By:  Ellis, Kuempel (Senate Sponsor - Staples)                    H.B. No. 284
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 2003; 
April 15, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Criminal Justice; May 21, 2003, reported favorably by the 
following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 21, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the applicability of the offense of unlawfully carrying 
a weapon to certain persons carrying a weapon in a recreational 
vehicle.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding 
Subsection (g) to read as follows:
	(g)  For the purpose of Subsection (b)(2), "premises" 
includes a recreational vehicle that is being used by the person 
carrying the handgun, illegal knife, or club as living quarters, 
regardless of whether that use is temporary or permanent.  In this 
subsection, "recreational vehicle" means a motor vehicle primarily 
designed as temporary living quarters or a vehicle that contains 
temporary living quarters and is designed to be towed by a motor 
vehicle.  The term includes a travel trailer, camping trailer, 
truck camper, motor home, and horse trailer with living quarters.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to an offense committed on or after that date. An 
offense committed before the effective date of this Act is covered 
by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the former 
law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this 
section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this 
Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.



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