BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2009
85R25236 SLB-D	By: Bonnen, Greg; Bonnen, Dennis (Taylor, Larry)
	Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs
	5/18/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 2009 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to broaden the exemption for certain current and former military personnel from any requirement to complete the live firing portion of a hunter education course under a state hunter education program to exempt such personnel from any requirement to complete such a course. The bill extends the exemption to a person who has previously served as a member of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard and to certain persons who are serving or have previously served as peace officers.

H.B. 2009 amends current law relating to an exemption for certain law enforcement and military personnel from the requirement to complete a hunter education program.

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 62.014, Parks and Wildlife Code, by amending Subsection (n), as follows:

(n) Provides that the following persons are exempt from any requirement to complete a hunter education course, rather than to complete the live firing portion of a hunter education course, under this section (Hunter Education Program):

(1) an honorably discharged veteran of the United States (U.S.) armed forces or a person who is on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces, rather than military forces, the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard;

(2) a person who is on active duty or has previously served as a member of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard; or

(3) a person who is serving or has previously served as a peace officer described by Subdivision (1) (relating to providing that sheriffs, their deputies, and certain reserve deputies are peace officers), (2) (relating to providing that constables, deputy constables, and certain reserve deputy constables are peace officers), (3) (relating to providing that marshals or police officers of an incorporated city, town, or village, and certain reserve municipal police officers are peace officers), or (4) (relating to providing that rangers, officers, and certain members of the reserve officer corps are peace officers), Article 2.12 (Who Are Peace Officers), Code of Criminal Procedure.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.