BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 233
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, active members of the United States Armed Forces are authorized to have the fee for an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed concealed handgun license reduced by 50 percent.
H.B. 233 extends this reduction to veterans who apply for an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license after they have been removed from service for more than 365 days. Additionally, the bill waives the fee for current active duty servicemembers and veterans who submit their license applications within 365 days after they receive an honorable discharge.
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 411.1951, Government Code, as follows:
Sec. 411.1951. New heading: WAIVER OR REDUCTION OF FEES FOR MEMBERS OR VETERANS OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. (a) Defines “veteran.”
(b) Requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to waive, rather than reduce by 50 percent, any fee required for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license under this subchapter (License to Carry a Concealed Handgun) if the applicant for the license is a member of the United States armed forces, including a member of the reserves, national guard, or state guard or a veteran who, within 365 days preceding the date of the application, was honorably discharged from the branch of service in which the person served, notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter.
(c) Requires DPS to reduce by 50 percent any fee required for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license under this subchapter if the applicant for the license is a veteran who, more than 365 days preceding the date of the application, was honorably discharged from the branch of the service in which the person served, notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.