BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 4327

By: Bell, Cecil

Community Safety, Select

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

If a law-abiding handgun license holder forgets to renew their license by the license's expiration date, they could potentially have their license revoked and have to start the application process over from scratch. Starting a new application would involve having to go back through the extensive list of requirements for a new applicant, including handgun proficiency training, fingerprinting, and identity documentation submissions, all of which would already be on file for a renewal applicant. C.S.H.B. 4327 seeks to prevent this from occurring by establishing a grace period after the expiration of a handgun license during which a license holder can renew their license.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 4327 amends the Government Code to establish a one-year grace period after the expiration of a handgun license during which the license holder may still renew the license. The bill applies to a handgun license that expires before, on, or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 4327 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

Whereas the introduced established a 90-day grace period, the substitute establishes a grace period of one year.