BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2882

By: Isaac

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law defines short-barrel firearms based on their barrel length for purposes of weapons offenses under the Penal Code. H.B. 2882 seeks to ensure that a handgun equipped with a stabilizing brace is not classified as a short-barrel firearm for purposes of those offenses.

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. 2882 amends the Penal Code to exclude from the definition of a "short-barrel firearm," for purposes of weapons offenses, a handgun equipped with a stabilizing brace designed to assist a person with handling the handgun with one hand. The bill applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.