By: Louderback H.B. No. 1487

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the removal of a fee for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun.

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

SECTION 1. Section 411.0625(c), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) The department shall adopt rules to establish a procedure by which a resident of the state may apply for and be issued a Capitol access pass. Rules adopted under this section must include provisions for eligibility, application, approval, issuance, and renewal that:

(1) require the department to conduct the same background check on an applicant for a Capitol access pass that is conducted on an applicant for a license to carry a handgun under Subchapter H;

(2) enable the department to conduct the background check described by Subdivision (1); and

(3) establish application and renewal fees in amounts sufficient to cover the cost of administering this section[, not to exceed the amounts of similar fees required under Section 411.174 for a license to carry a handgun].

SECTION 2. Section 411.173(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The department by rule shall establish a procedure for a person who meets the eligibility requirements of this subchapter other than the residency requirement established by Section 411.172(a)(1) to obtain a license under this subchapter if the person is a legal resident of another state or if the person relocates to this state with the intent to establish residency in this state. [The procedure must include payment of a fee in an amount sufficient to recover the average cost to the department of obtaining a criminal history record check and investigation on a nonresident applicant.] A license issued in accordance with the procedure established under this subsection:

(1) remains in effect until the license expires under Section 411.183; and

(2) may be renewed under Section 411.185.

SECTION 3. Section 411.174(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) An applicant for a license to carry a handgun must submit to the director's designee described by Section 411.176:

(1) a completed application on a form provided by the department that requires only the information listed in Subsection (b);

(2) one or more photographs of the applicant that meet the requirements of the department;

(3) a certified copy of the applicant's birth certificate or certified proof of age;

(4) proof of residency in this state;

(5) two complete sets of legible and classifiable fingerprints of the applicant taken by a person appropriately trained in recording fingerprints who is employed by a law enforcement agency or by a private entity designated by a law enforcement agency as an entity qualified to take fingerprints of an applicant for a license under this subchapter;

(6) [a nonrefundable application and license fee of $40 paid to the department];

[(7)] evidence of handgun proficiency, in the form and manner required by the department;

(7) [(8)] an affidavit signed by the applicant stating that the applicant:

(A) has read and understands each provision of this subchapter that creates an offense under the laws of this state and each provision of the laws of this state related to use of deadly force; and

(B) fulfills all the eligibility requirements listed under Section 411.172; and

(8) [(9)] a form executed by the applicant that authorizes the director to make an inquiry into any noncriminal history records that are necessary to determine the applicant's eligibility for a license under Section 411.172(a).

SECTION 4. Section 411.179, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(e) [In this subsection, "veteran" has the meaning assigned by Section 411.1951.] The department shall include the designation "VETERAN" on the face of any original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license under this subchapter or on the reverse side of the license, as determined by the department, if the license is issued to a veteran who:

(1) requests the designation; and

(2) provides proof sufficient to the department of the veteran's military service and honorable discharge.

(f) For purposes of Subsection (e), "veteran" means a person who:

(1) has served in:

(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(B) the Texas military forces as defined by Section 437.001; or

(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces; and

(2) has been honorably discharged from the branch of the service in which the person served.

SECTION 5. Section 411.181(h), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(h) If a license holder is required under this section to apply for a duplicate license and the license expires not later than the 60th day after the date of the loss, theft, or destruction of the license, the applicant may renew the license with the modified information included on the new license. [The applicant must pay only the nonrefundable renewal fee.]

SECTION 6. Section 411.185(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) To renew a license, a license holder must, on or before the date the license expires, submit to the department by mail or, in accordance with the procedure adopted under Subsection (f), on the Internet:

(1) a renewal application on a form provided by the department;

[(2) payment of a nonrefundable renewal fee of $40;] and

(2) [(3)] the informational form described by Subsection (c) signed or electronically acknowledged by the applicant.

SECTION 7. Sections 411.186(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The department shall revoke a license under this section if the license holder:

(1) was not entitled to the license at the time it was issued;

(2) made a material misrepresentation or failed to disclose a material fact in an application submitted under this subchapter;

(3) subsequently becomes ineligible for a license under Section 411.172, unless the sole basis for the ineligibility is that the license holder is charged with the commission of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense, or of an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense, or of a felony under an information or indictment; or

(4) is determined by the department to have engaged in conduct constituting a reason to suspend a license listed in Section 411.187(a) after the person's license has been previously suspended twice for the same reason[; or

(5) submits an application fee that is dishonored or reversed if the applicant fails to submit a cashier's check or money order made payable to the "Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas" in the amount of the dishonored or reversed fee, plus $25, within 30 days of being notified by the department that the fee was dishonored or reversed].

SECTION 8. Section 411.190(c), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) In the manner applicable to a person who applies for a license to carry a handgun, the department shall conduct a background check of a person who applies for certification as a qualified handgun instructor or approved online course provider. If the background check indicates that the applicant for certification would not qualify to receive a handgun license, the department may not certify the applicant as a qualified handgun instructor or approved online course provider. If the background check indicates that the applicant for certification would qualify to receive a handgun license, the department shall provide handgun instructor or online course provider training to the applicant. The applicant shall pay a fee of $100 to the department for the training. The applicant must take and successfully complete the training offered by the department and pay the training fee before the department may certify the applicant as a qualified handgun instructor or approved online course provider. The department shall issue a license to carry a handgun under the authority of this subchapter to any person who is certified as a qualified handgun instructor or approved online course provider [and who pays to the department a fee of $40 in addition to the training fee]. The department by rule may prorate or waive the training fee for an employee of another governmental entity.

SECTION 9. Sections 411.201(d) and (h), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(d) An applicant for a license who is an active or retired judicial officer must submit to the department:

(1) a completed application, including all required affidavits, on a form prescribed by the department;

(2) one or more photographs of the applicant that meet the requirements of the department;

(3) two complete sets of legible and classifiable fingerprints of the applicant, including one set taken by a person employed by a law enforcement agency who is appropriately trained in recording fingerprints;

(4) evidence of handgun proficiency, in the form and manner required by the department for an applicant under this section;

[(5) a nonrefundable application and license fee of $25;] and

(5) [(6)] if the applicant is a retired judicial officer, a form executed by the applicant that authorizes the department to make an inquiry into any noncriminal history records that are necessary to determine the applicant's eligibility for a license under this subchapter.

(h) The department shall issue a license to carry a handgun under the authority of this subchapter to a United States attorney or an assistant United States attorney, or to an attorney elected or employed to represent the state in the prosecution of felony cases, who meets the requirements of this section for an active judicial officer. [The department shall waive any fee required for the issuance of an original, duplicate, or renewed license under this subchapter for an applicant who is a United States attorney or an assistant United States attorney or who is an attorney elected or employed to represent the state in the prosecution of felony cases.]

SECTION 10. Section 118.011(b), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The county clerk may set and collect the following fee from any person:

(1) Returned Check (Sec. 118.0215) . . . . . . not less than $15 or more than $30

(2) Records Management and Preservation Fee (Sec. 118.0216) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . not more than $10

(3) [Mental Health Background Check for License to Carry a Handgun (Sec. 118.0217) . . . . . . not more than $2

[(4)] Marriage License for Out-of-State Applicants (Sec. 118.018) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100

SECTION 11. The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Sections 411.181(d) and (i), 411.186(d), 411.194, 411.195, 411.1951, 411.1953, 411.1954, 411.199(d), 411.1991(c), 411.1992(d), 411.1993(e), and 411.1994(d), Government Code; and

(2) Section 118.0217, Local Government Code.

SECTION 12. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an applicant for an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, as amended by this Act, who submits the application on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 13. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.