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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a license to carry a handgun for active and retired |
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railroad peace officers and special cattle rangers; authorizing a |
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fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 411.1995 and 411.1996 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 411.1995. ACTIVE RAILROAD PEACE OFFICERS AND SPECIAL |
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CATTLE RANGERS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Railroad peace officer" means an officer |
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appointed by the director of the department under Article 2.121, |
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Code of Criminal Procedure, who holds a certificate of authority |
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issued by the director under that article and a railroad peace |
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officer license issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. |
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(2) "Special cattle ranger" means a special ranger |
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appointed by the director of the department under Article 2.125, |
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Code of Criminal Procedure, who holds a certificate of authority |
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issued by the director under that article and a special ranger |
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license issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. |
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(b) A person who is employed as a railroad peace officer or |
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special cattle ranger may apply for a license to carry a handgun |
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under this subchapter. |
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(c) An applicant shall submit to the department: |
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(1) the name of the applicant; |
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(2) a current copy of the applicant's railroad peace |
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officer license or special ranger license, as applicable; and |
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(3) evidence of employment as a railroad peace officer |
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or special cattle ranger, as applicable. |
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(d) An applicant under this section who complies with |
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Subsection (c) and the other requirements of this subchapter is not |
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required to complete the handgun proficiency course described by |
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Section 411.188 to obtain a license under this subchapter. |
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(e) The department shall waive any fee required for a |
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license issued under this subchapter to an applicant under this |
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section. |
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(f) A license issued under this section expires as provided |
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by Section 411.183. |
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Sec. 411.1996. RETIRED RAILROAD PEACE OFFICERS AND SPECIAL |
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CATTLE RANGERS. (a) In this section, "railroad peace officer" and |
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"special cattle ranger" have the meanings assigned by Section |
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411.1995. |
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(b) For purposes of this section, a person is considered to |
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be honorably retired from service as a railroad peace officer or |
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special cattle ranger if the person did not retire in lieu of |
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disciplinary action and: |
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(1) retired after not less than a total of 15 years of |
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service; or |
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(2) separated from service after a period of less than |
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15 years as a result of an injury received in the course of the |
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applicant's employment. |
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(c) The person shall submit two complete sets of legible and |
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classifiable fingerprints and a sworn statement from the |
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applicant's former employer. The applicant's former employer may |
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not refuse to issue a statement under this subsection. If the |
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applicant alleges that the statement is untrue, the department |
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shall investigate the validity of the statement. The statement |
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must include: |
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(1) the name of the applicant; |
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(2) the status of the applicant before retirement; |
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(3) whether or not the applicant was accused of |
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misconduct at the time of the retirement; |
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(4) the physical and mental condition of the |
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applicant; |
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(5) the type of weapons the applicant had demonstrated |
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proficiency with during the last year of employment; and |
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(6) a recommendation from the employer regarding the |
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issuance of a license under this subchapter. |
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(d) The department may issue a license under this subchapter |
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to an applicant under this section if the applicant is honorably |
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retired and physically and emotionally fit to possess a handgun. |
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(e) An applicant under this section must pay a fee of $25 for |
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a license issued under this subchapter. |
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(f) A license issued under this section expires as provided |
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by Section 411.183. |
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SECTION 2. Section 411.175, Government Code, is amended to |
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correct a cross-reference and is further amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 411.175. PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING FINGERPRINTS. The |
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department shall establish procedures for the submission of legible |
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and classifiable fingerprints by an applicant for a license under |
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this subchapter who: |
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(1) is required to submit those fingerprints to the |
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department, including an applicant under Section 411.199, |
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411.1996, [411.1991,] or 411.201; and |
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(2) resides in a county having a population of 46,000 |
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or less and does not reside within a 25-mile radius of a facility |
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with the capability to process digital or electronic fingerprints. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |