AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Interested parties note that probation and community supervision officers attend firearm training provided by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in order to carry a gun while on duty and must obtain a concealed handgun license to carry a handgun while off duty. The parties explain that many officers choose to do so because of the nature of their work with criminal offenders, but that these officers must receive duplicative concealed handgun license training before receiving the license. H.B. 1376 seeks to remove this hindrance to these officers obtaining a concealed handgun license.
H.B. 1376 amends current law relating to the application of certain concealed handgun license laws to community supervision and corrections department officers and juvenile probation officers and reduces a fee.
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 411.1882(a), Government Code, to include a supervision officer as defined by Section 2 (Definitions), Article 42.12 (Community Supervision), Code of Criminal Procedure, or a juvenile probation officer to a list of persons who are authorized to establish handgun proficiency for the purposes of this subchapter by obtaining from a handgun proficiency instructor approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for purposes of Section 1702.1675 (Training Programs), Occupations Code, a sworn statement that indicates that the person, during the 12-month period preceding the date of the person's application to the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS), demonstrated to the instructor proficiency in the use of handguns.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, by adding Section 411.1953, as follows:
Sec. 411.1953. REDUCTION OF FEES FOR COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AND CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT OFFICERS AND JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS. Requires an applicant who is serving in this state as a supervision officer, as defined by Section 2, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or as a juvenile probation officer to, notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, pay a fee of $25 for the issuance of an original or renewed license under this subchapter.
SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2015.