85R8503 JSC-D
 
  By: Phelan H.B. No. 2772
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requirements for peace officers to obtain an original,
  duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun; waiving
  a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 411.175, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 411.175.  PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING FINGERPRINTS.  The
  department shall establish procedures for the submission of legible
  and classifiable fingerprints by an applicant for a license under
  this subchapter who:
               (1)  is required to submit those fingerprints to the
  department, including an applicant under Section 411.199[,
  411.1991,] or 411.201; and
               (2)  resides in a county having a population of 46,000
  or less and does not reside within a 25-mile radius of a facility
  with the capability to process digital or electronic fingerprints.
         SECTION 2.  Section 411.1881(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
  a person may not be required to complete the range instruction
  portion of a handgun proficiency course to obtain a license issued
  under this subchapter if the person is licensed as a peace officer
  under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, and currently employed as a
  peace officer by a law enforcement agency or:
               (1)  is currently serving in or is honorably discharged
  from:
                     (A)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
  marine corps of the United States or an auxiliary service or reserve
  unit of one of those branches of the armed forces; or
                     (B)  the Texas military forces, as defined by
  Section 437.001; and
               (2)  has, within the five years preceding the date of
  the person's application for the license, completed a course of
  training in handgun proficiency or familiarization as part of the
  person's service with the armed forces or Texas military forces.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
  amended by amending Section 411.1991 and adding Section 411.1993 to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 411.1991.  PEACE OFFICERS. (a)  A person who is
  licensed as a peace officer under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code,
  and employed as a peace officer by a law enforcement agency[, or who
  is a member of the Texas military forces, excluding Texas State
  Guard members who are serving in the Texas Legislature,] may apply
  for a license under this subchapter.
         (b) [(a-1)]  An applicant who is a peace officer shall submit
  to the department:
               (1)  the name and rank of the applicant; and
               (2)  a current copy of the applicant's peace officer
  license and evidence of employment as a peace officer.
         (c)  The department may issue a license under this subchapter
  to an applicant under this section only if the applicant complies
  with Subsection (b).
         (d)  The department shall waive any fee required for the
  issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license
  under this subchapter for an applicant under this section.
         (e)  A license issued to an applicant under this section
  expires as provided by Section 411.183.
         Sec. 411.1993.  CERTAIN MEMBERS OF TEXAS MILITARY FORCES.
  (a)  A person who is a member of the Texas military forces, other
  than a member of the Texas State Guard who is serving in the Texas
  Legislature, may apply for a license under this subchapter.
         (b) [(a-2)]  The department shall adopt rules regarding the
  information required to be included in an application submitted by
  a member of the Texas military forces under this section.
         (c) [(b)]  The department may issue a license under this
  subchapter to an applicant under this section only if the applicant
  complies with the [Subsection (a-1) or] rules adopted under
  Subsection (b) [(a-2), as applicable].
         (d) [(c)]  An applicant under this section shall pay a fee of
  $25 for a license issued under this subchapter.
         (e) [(d)]  A license issued to an applicant under this
  section expires as provided by Section 411.183.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an application that is made to obtain an original, duplicate,
  modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun and submitted on or
  after the effective date of this Act. An application described by
  this section that is submitted before the effective date of this Act
  is governed by the law in effect when the application was submitted,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.