By: Sanford, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Paxton) H.B. No. 781

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021; May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 14, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 1; May 14, 2021, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the carrying and possession of a handgun by a public junior college school marshal.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.220(e), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(e) Any written regulations adopted for purposes of Subsection (d):

(1) must:

(A) authorize [provide that] a school marshal to [may] carry a concealed handgun as described by Subsection (d); and

(B) [, except that if the primary duty of the school marshal involves regular, direct contact with students, the marshal may not carry a concealed handgun but may possess a handgun on the physical premises of a public junior college campus in a locked and secured safe within the marshal's immediate reach when conducting the marshal's primary duty. The written regulations must also] require [that] a handgun carried or possessed by [or within access of] a school marshal to [may] be loaded only with frangible duty ammunition approved for that purpose by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; and

(2) may not require a school marshal to store the handgun in a locked container while on duty.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.

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