BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1506

By: Ashby

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, the expedited process through which retired judicial officers may obtain a handgun license only applies to certain visiting judges, senior judges or other judicial officers, or retired federal judges who are Texas residents. However, the bill author has informed the committee that many retired judges have expressed an interest in expanding access to this expedited process to all current and retired judges. H.B. 1506 takes a step in this direction by expanding eligibility for an expedited handgun license to all retired judges of constitutional or statutory county courts who served at least four years on the bench.

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

H.B. 1506 amends the Government Code to expand the definition of "retired judicial officer" for purposes of statutory provisions establishing procedures for the issuance of a handgun license to those officers to include a retired judge of a constitutional county court or statutory county court who served at least 48 months in such a court. The bill applies only to an application for a handgun license submitted on or after the bill's effective date. An application submitted before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.