By: Stickland H.B. No. 195
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the carrying of handguns; providing for the open
  carrying of handguns; removing the requirement that a person who
  may lawfully possess handguns obtain a Concealed Handgun License in
  order to carry a handgun lawfully in the state of Texas, and
  conforming changes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This act shall be known and cited as the Texas
  Constitutional Carry Act of 2015.
         SECTION 2.  Section 46.02 Penal Code is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 46.02.  UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS.
         [(a)     A person commits an offense if the person
  intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or
  her person a handgun, illegal knife, or club if the person is not:
               [(1)     on the person's own premises, or premises under
  the person's control, or with permission of the premises owner; or
               [(2)     inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle
  or watercraft that is owned by the person or under the person's
  control.
         (a) [(a 1)]  A person commits an offense if the person
  intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or
  her person a handgun in a motor vehicle or watercraft that is owned
  by the person or under the person's control at any time in which the
  person is:
               [(1)  the handgun is in plain view; or
               [(2)  the person is:
               (1) [(A)]  engaged in criminal activity, other than a
  Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance
  regulating traffic or boating;
               (2) [(B)]  prohibited by law from possessing a firearm;
  or
               (3) [(C)]  a member of a criminal street gang, as
  defined by Section71.01.
         SECTION 3.  Sect. 46.035, Penal Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 46.035.  UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN [BY LICENSE
  HOLDER].
         [(a)     A license holder commits an offense if the license
  holder carries a handgun on or about the license holder's person
  under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,
  and intentionally fails to conceal the handgun.
         (a) [(b)]  A [license holder] person in possession of a
  handgun commits an offense if they [the license holder]
  intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly [carries] carry a handgun
  [under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,
  regardless of whether the handgun is concealed,] on or about their
  [the license holder's] person:
               (1)  on the premises of a business that has a permit or
  license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic
  Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its
  income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for
  on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic
  Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code;
               (2)  on the premises where a high school, collegiate,
  or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking
  place, unless the [license holder] person is a participant in the
  event where [and] a handgun is used in the event;
               (3)  on the premises of a correctional facility;
               (4)  on the premises of a hospital licensed under
  Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing
  home licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the
  [license holder] person has written authorization of the hospital
  or nursing home administration, as appropriate;
               (5)  in an amusement park; [or]
               (6)  on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other
  established place of religious worship; [.]
               (7) [(c)     A license holder commits an offense if the
  license holder intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a
  handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411,
  Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, at
  any meeting of a governmental entity; [.]
               (8) [(d)  A license holder commits an offense if,]
  while intoxicated [, the license holder carries a handgun under the
  authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless
  of whether the handgun is concealed].
         (b) [(c)]  A [license holder] person who is licensed as a
  security officer under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, and employed
  as a security officer commits an offense if, while in the course and
  scope of the security officer's employment, the security officer
  violates a provision of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.
         (c)  In this section:
               (1)  "Amusement park" means a permanent indoor or
  outdoor facility or park where amusement rides are available for
  use by the public that is located in a county with a population of
  more than one million, encompasses at least 75 acres in surface
  area, is enclosed with access only through controlled entries, is
  open for operation more than 120 days in each calendar year, and has
  security guards on the premises at all times. The term does not
  include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or
  walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area.
               [(2)     "License holder" means a person licensed to carry
  a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.
               (2) [(3)]  "Premises" means a building or a portion of
  a building. The term does not include any public or private
  driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage,
  or other parking area.
               (3)  "Intoxicated" has the meaning assigned by Section
  49.01, Penal Code.
         (d) [(g)]  An offense under Subsection (a)[, (b), (c), (d),
  or (e)] is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed
  under Subsection (a)(1) [(b)] or (a)(2) [(b)(3)], in which event
  the offense is a felony of the third degree.
         [(h)     It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)
  that the actor, at the time of the commission of the offense,
  displayed the handgun under circumstances in which the actor would
  have been justified in the use of deadly force under Chapter 9.]
         (e) [(h 1)]  It is a defense to prosecution under Subsections
  (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5), and (a)(6), [(b)(1), (2),
  and (4) - (7), and (c)] that the actor, at the time of the commission
  of the offense, was:
               (1)  an active judicial officer, as defined by Section
  411.201, Government Code; or
               (2)  a bailiff designated by the active judicial
  officer and engaged in escorting the officer.
         (f) [(h-1)]  It is a defense to prosecution under
  Subsections (a)(1) [(b)], (2), and (4)- (7) [(6), and (c)] that at
  the time of the commission of the offense, the actor was:
               (1)  a judge or justice of a federal court;
               (2)  an active judicial officer, as defined by Section
  411.201, Government Code; or
               (3)  a district attorney, assistant district attorney,
  criminal district attorney, assistant criminal district attorney,
  county attorney, or assistant county attorney.
         (g) [(i)]  Subsections (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5), (a)(6), and
  (a)(7) [(b)(4), (b)(5),(b)(6), and (c)] do not apply if the actor
  was not given effective notice under Section 30.06.
         (h) [(j)]  Subsection[s] (a)(1) [and (b)] does not apply to a
  historical reenactment performed in compliance with the rules of
  the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
         (i) [(k)]  It is a defense to prosecution under
  Subsection(a)(1) [(b)] that the actor was not given effective
  notice under Section 411.204, Government Code.
         SECTION 4.  Sect. 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Subsection (k) to read as follows:
         (k)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or
  any other law to the contrary, no person shall be required to obtain
  any license to carry a handgun as a condition for being able to
  carry handguns openly or concealed in the State of Texas except a
  person who is prohibited from possessing a handgun under 18 USC §
  922.
         SECTION 5.  Sect. 411.207, Government Code, Subsection (A)
  is amended to read as follows:
         AUTHORITY OF PEACE OFFICER TO DISARM. (a) A peace officer who
  is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer's official duties
  may disarm a [license holder] person in possession of a handgun at
  any time the officer [reasonably] has probable cause to believe[s
  it is necessary for] that the person [the protection of the license
  holder,] poses an imminent threat to themselves, the officer, or
  another individual. The peace officer shall return the handgun to
  the [license holder] person before discharging the [license holder]
  person from the scene if the officer determines that the [license
  holder] person is not a threat to themselves, the officer, [license
  holder,] or another individual and if the [license holder] person
  has not [violated any provision of this subchapter or] committed
  any [other] violation that results in [the] their arrest [of the
  license holder]. The mere possession or carrying of a firearm,
  openly or concealed, with or without a Concealed Handgun License,
  shall not constitute probable cause for a peace officer to disarm or
  detain an otherwise law-abiding person.
         SECTION 5.  Sect. 411.205, Government Code is herby
  repealed.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.