By: Springer, Buckingham S.B. No. 540

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to authorizing certain person to carry a handgun

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

SECTION 1. Section 46.15 (k), NONAPPLICABILITY, is amended 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 while:

(A) evacuating from an area following the declaration of a state of disaster under Section 418.014, Government Code, or a local state of disaster under Section 418.108, Government Code, with respect to that area; or

B) reentering that area following the person's evacuation;

(2) not more than 168 hours have elapsed since the state of disaster or local state of disaster was declared, or more than 168 hours have elapsed since the time the declaration was made and the governor has extended the period during which a person may carry a handgun under this subsection; and

(3) the person is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessingpurchasing a firearm.

SECTION 2. Section 46.02, Penal Code, UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS, is amended by amending Subsections (a) and (a-1) and adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:

(a) A person younger than 21 years of age commits an offense if the person:

(1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or her person a handgun; and

(2) is not:

(A) on the person's own premises or premises under the person's control; or

(B) inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle or watercraft that is owned by the person or under the person's control.

(a-1) A person younger than 21 years of age commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or her person a handgun in a motor vehicle or watercraft that is owned by the person or under the person's control at any time in which:

(1) the handgun is in plain view, unless the person is licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and the handgun is carried in a shoulder or belt holster; or

(2) the person is:

(A) engaged in criminal activity, other than a Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance regulating traffic or boating;

(B) prohibited by law from possessing a firearm; or

(C) a member of a criminal street gang, as defined by Section 71.01.

(a-2) A person commits an offense if the person carries a handgun on or about their person, and intentionally displays the handgun in plain view of another person in a public place. It is an exception to the application of this subsection that the handgun was partially or wholly visible but was carried in a holster on or about the person.

SECTION 3. Section 46.03, Penal Code, PLACES WEAPONS PROHIBITED, is amended to read as follows:

(e-1) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(5) that the actor:

(1) possessed, at the screening checkpoint for the secured area, a concealed handgun that the actor was licensed to carry under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code; and

(2) exited the screening checkpoint for the secured area immediately upon completion of the required screening processes and notification that the actor possessed the handgun.

SECTION 4. Section 46.035, Penal Code, UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN BY LICENSE HOLDER, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A license holderperson commits an offense if the license holderperson carries a handgun on or about the license holder'stheir person under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and intentionally displays the handgun in plain view of another person in a public place. It is an exception to the application of this subsection that the handgun was partially or wholly visible but was carried in a shoulder or belt holster by the license holderperson.

(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a partially or wholly visible handgun, regardless of whether the handgun is holstered, on or about the license holder's person under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and intentionally displays the handgun in plain view of another person:

(1) on the premises of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education; or

(2) on any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education.

(a-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 46.03(a), a license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a handgun on the campus of a private or independent institution of higher education in this state that has established rules, regulations, or other provisions prohibiting license holders from carrying handguns pursuant to Section 411.2031(e), Government Code, or on the grounds or building on which an activity sponsored by such an institution is being conducted, or in a passenger transportation vehicle of such an institution, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, provided the institution gives effective notice under Section 30.06.

(a-3) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 46.03(a), a license holder commits an offense if the license holder intentionally carries a concealed handgun on a portion of a premises located on the campus of an institution of higher education in this state on which the carrying of a concealed handgun is prohibited by rules, regulations, or other provisions established under Section 411.2031(d-1), Government Code, provided the institution gives effective notice under Section 30.06 with respect to that portion.

(b) A license holderperson commits an offense if the license holderperson intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed or carried in a shoulder or belt holster, on or about the license holder'stheir person:

(1) on the premises of a business that has a permit or license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code;

(2) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking place, unless the license holderperson is a participant in the event and a handgun is used in the event;

(3) on the premises of a correctional facility;

(4) on the premises of a hospital licensed under Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing facility licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the license holderperson has written authorization of the hospital or nursing facility administration, as appropriate;

(5) in an amusement park; or

(6) on the premises of a civil commitment facility.

(c) A license holderperson commits an offense if the license holderperson intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed or carried in a shoulder or belt holster, in the room or rooms where a meeting of a governmental entity is held and if the meeting is an open meeting subject to Chapter 551, Government Code, and the entity provided notice as required by that chapter.

(d) A license holderperson commits an offense if, while intoxicated, the license holderperson carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, or pursuant to the exception provided in Section 46.15(k), regardless of whether the handgun is concealed or carried in a shoulder or belt holster.

(e) A license holder who is licensed as a security officer under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, and employed as a security officer commits an offense if, while in the course and scope of the security officer's employment, the security officer violates a provision of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.

(f) In this section:

(1) "Amusement park" means a permanent indoor or outdoor facility or park where amusement rides are available for use by the public that is located in a county with a population of more than one million, encompasses at least 75 acres in surface area, is enclosed with access only through controlled entries, is open for operation more than 120 days in each calendar year, and has security guards on the premises at all times. The term does not include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area.

(1-a) "Institution of higher education" and "private or independent institution of higher education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.

(2) "License holder" means a person licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.

(3) "Premises" means a building or a portion of a building. The term does not include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area.

(g) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed under Subsection (b)(1) or (b)(3), in which event the offense is a felony of the third degree.

(h) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a), (a-1), (a-2), or (a-3) that the actor, at the time of the commission of the offense, displayed the handgun under circumstances in which the actor would have been justified in the use of force or deadly force under Chapter 9.

SECTION 5. Section 30.05, Penal Code, is amended by adding Subsection (i-1) to read as follows:

(i-1) If the basis on which entry on the property or land or in the building was forbidden is that entry with a firearm or other weapon was forbidden it is a defense to prosecution under this section that the person was personally given notice by oral communication and promptly departed from the property.

SECTION 6. Chapter 30, Penal Code, is amended by adding Section 30.08, TRESPASS BY UNLICENSED HOLDER WITH A HANDGUN, to read as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person:

(1) carries a handgun unlicensed, on property of another without effective consent; and

(2) received notice that entry on the property by a unlicensed holder with a handgun was forbidden. b) For purposes of this section, a person receives notice if the owner of the property or someone with apparent authority to act for the owner provides notice to the person by oral or written communication.

(c) In this section:

(1) "Entry" has the meaning assigned by Section 30.05(b).

(2) Unlicensed has the meaning of anyone not a "License holder" has defined by Section 46.035(f).

(3) "Written communication" means:

(A) a card or other document on which is written language identical to the following: "Pursuant to Section 30.08, Penal Code (TRESPASS BY UNLICENSED HOLDER WITH A HANDGUN), may not enter this property with a handgun"; or

(B) a sign posted on the property that:

(i) includes the language described by Paragraph (A) in both English and Spanish;

(ii) appears in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height; and

(iii) is displayed in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public.

(d) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200, except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that, after entering the property, the unlicensed holder was personally given the notice by oral communication described by Subsection (b) and subsequently failed to depart.

(e) It is an exception to the application of this section that the property on which the unlicensed holder carries a handgun is owned or leased by a governmental entity and is not a premises or other place on which the unlicensed holder is prohibited from carrying the handgun under Section 46.03 or 46.035.

(e-1) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:

(1) the unlicensed holder is:

(A) an owner of an apartment in a condominium regime governed by Chapter 81, Property Code;

(B) an owner of a condominium unit governed by Chapter 82, Property Code;

(C) a tenant or guest of an owner described by Paragraph (A) or (B); or

(D) a guest of a tenant of an owner described by Paragraph (A) or (B); and

(2) the unlicensed holder:

(A) carries or stores a handgun in the condominium apartment or unit owner's apartment or unit;

(B) carries a handgun directly en route to or from the condominium apartment or unit owner's apartment or unit;

(C) carries a handgun directly en route to or from the unlicensed holder's vehicle located in a parking area provided for residents or guests of the condominium property; or

(D) carries or stores a handgun in the unlicensed holder's vehicle located in a parking area provided for residents or guests of the condominium property.

(e-2) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:

(1) the unlicensed holder is a tenant of a leased premises governed by Chapter 92, Property Code, or the tenant's guest; and

(2) the unlicensed holder:

(A) carries or stores a handgun in the tenant's rental unit;

(B) carries a handgun directly en route to or from the tenant's rental unit;

(C) carries a handgun directly en route to or from the unlicensed holder's vehicle located in a parking area provided for tenants or guests by the landlord of the leased premises; or

(D) carries or stores a handgun in the unlicensed holder's vehicle located in a parking area provided for tenants or guests by the landlord of the leased premises.

(e-3) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:

(1) the unlicensed holder is a tenant of a manufactured home lot governed by Chapter 94, Property Code, or the tenant's guest; and

(2) the unlicensed holder:

(A) carries or stores a handgun in the tenant's manufactured home;

(B) carries a handgun directly en route to or from the tenant's manufactured home;

(C) carries a handgun directly en route to or from the unlicensed holder's vehicle located in a parking area provided for tenants or tenants' guests by the landlord of the leased premises; or

(D) carries or stores a handgun in the unlicensed holder's vehicle located in a parking area provided for tenants or tenants' guests by the landlord of the leased premises.

(f) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the unlicensed holder is volunteer emergency services personnel, as defined by Section 46.01.

(g) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the unlicensed holder was personally given notice by oral communication described by Subsection (b) and promptly departed from the property.

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.