By: Phelan, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Creighton) H.B. No. 1177
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2019;
  April 24, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 15, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 1;
  May 15, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1177 By:  Creighton
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to carrying a concealed handgun following a mandatory
  evacuation order issued during a state of disaster.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Subsections (k) and (l) to read as follows:
         (k)  Section 46.02 does not apply to a person who carries a
  handgun if:
               (1)  the person carries the handgun in a concealed
  manner;
               (2)  the person carries the handgun while:
                     (A)  evacuating from an area following a mandatory
  evacuation order issued during a state of disaster declared under
  Section 418.014, Government Code, or a local state of disaster
  declared under Section 418.108, Government Code, with respect to
  that area; or 
                     (B)  reentering that area following the person's
  evacuation;
               (3)  not more than 48 hours have elapsed since the
  mandatory evacuation order was issued, or more than 48 hours have
  elapsed since the mandatory evacuation order was issued and the
  governor has extended the period during which a person may carry a
  concealed handgun; and
               (4)  the person is not prohibited by state or federal
  law from possessing a firearm.
         (l)  For purposes of Subsection (k), "evacuating" means the
  immediate and urgent movement of a person away from an area that is
  subject to an evacuation order.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
  purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
  effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was
  committed before that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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