Honorable Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor, Senate Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB11 by Birdwell (Relating to the carrying of handguns on the campuses of and certain other locations associated with institutions of higher education; providing a criminal penalty.), Conference Committee Report
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code and Penal Code to authorize an individual possessing a valid concealed handgun license issued in the state of Texas to carry a concealed handgun on campuses or premises associated with public and private institutions of higher education. The bill would allow an institution of higher education to, within certain requirements, establish rules with respect to license holders carrying concealed handguns on the campus of the institution or on identified premises of the institution. The bill would require institutions to report to the legislature on the adopted rules. The bill would also allow an institution of higher education to establish rules governing the storage of handguns in dormitories and other residential facilities, and provides for a limitation on liability.
State institutions of higher education reported varying estimates of cost associated with implementing certain provisions of the bill, primarily with respect to health related institutions. It is assumed implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015 for all institutions of higher education, save for Community Colleges, for whom the provisions apply on August 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
Local community college districts could experience increased costs related to campus police operations, security programs, and staff training. Adaptation of community college campus facilities to accommodate the storage of handguns could result in new costs for community college districts.
Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 783 University of Houston System Administration, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board