BILL ANALYSIS
By: Frost
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, fees associated with concealed handgun licenses may only be paid by cashier's check, money order, or online by credit card.
These payment options are unnecessarily limiting and time-consuming. House Bill 1483 enables current and potential license holders to pay for their concealed handgun licenses through methods that are more convenient. The bill expands the payment options to include the use of cash, personal checks, and credit cards.
The bill also addresses the cost for modifying or duplicating a concealed handgun license. A fee of $25 is currently in place for simple modification or duplication of a license. A license holder who obeys the law by informing the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) of a change of address must pay a disproportionate charge for modification of their license compared to that of other licenses issued by DPS. Thus, the bill reduces this fee to $10, which is comparable to the fee charged for a change of address on a driver's license.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
House Bill 1483 amends §411.196 of the Government Code to provide that a person may pay a required fee by cash, credit card, personal check, cashier's check, or money order and requires that checks or money orders be payable to the "Texas Department of Public Safety."
The bill also amends §411.186 of the Government Code to allow a concealed handgun license to be revoked if the license holder submits an application fee that is dishonored or reversed. Additionally, the bill allows a license holder to reapply at any time after a dishonored payment, provided the license holder pays the application fee, as well as a dishonored payment charge of $25, by cashier's check or money order.
The bill amends §411.181 and §411.184, Government Code, to reduce the fee for a duplicate or modified license from $25 to $10.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005