|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the regulation of knives and related supplies and the |
|
enforcement of regulations regarding certain weapons. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter A, Chapter 229, Local |
|
Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
SUBCHAPTER A. REGULATION OF FIREARMS, AIR GUNS, [AND] EXPLOSIVES, |
|
AND KNIVES |
|
SECTION 2. The heading to Section 229.001, Local Government |
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 229.001. FIREARMS; AIR GUNS; EXPLOSIVES; KNIVES. |
|
SECTION 3. Sections 229.001(a), (b), (d), and (e), Local |
|
Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Section 43.002 |
|
of this code and Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a municipality may |
|
not adopt regulations relating to: |
|
(1) the transfer, private ownership, keeping, |
|
transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, |
|
knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies; or |
|
(2) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport |
|
shooting range. |
|
(b) Subsection (a) does not affect the authority a |
|
municipality has under another law to: |
|
(1) require residents or public employees to be armed |
|
for personal or national defense, law enforcement, or another |
|
lawful purpose; |
|
(2) regulate the discharge of firearms or air guns |
|
within the limits of the municipality, other than at a sport |
|
shooting range; |
|
(3) regulate the use of property, the location of a |
|
business, or uses at a business under the municipality's fire code, |
|
zoning ordinance, or land-use regulations as long as the code, |
|
ordinance, or regulations are not used to circumvent the intent of |
|
Subsection (a) or Subdivision (5) of this subsection; |
|
(4) regulate the use of firearms, [or] air guns, or |
|
knives in the case of an insurrection, riot, or natural disaster if |
|
the municipality finds the regulations necessary to protect public |
|
health and safety; |
|
(5) regulate the storage or transportation of |
|
explosives to protect public health and safety, except that 25 |
|
pounds or less of black powder for each private residence and 50 |
|
pounds or less of black powder for each retail dealer are not |
|
subject to regulation; |
|
(6) regulate the carrying of a firearm or air gun by a |
|
person other than a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun |
|
under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, at a: |
|
(A) public park; |
|
(B) public meeting of a municipality, county, or |
|
other governmental body; |
|
(C) political rally, parade, or official |
|
political meeting; or |
|
(D) nonfirearms-related school, college, or |
|
professional athletic event; |
|
(7) regulate the hours of operation of a sport |
|
shooting range, except that the hours of operation may not be more |
|
limited than the least limited hours of operation of any other |
|
business in the municipality other than a business permitted or |
|
licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages for on-premises |
|
consumption; or |
|
(8) regulate the carrying of an air gun by a minor on: |
|
(A) public property; or |
|
(B) private property without consent of the |
|
property owner. |
|
(d) The exception provided by Subsection (b)(4) does not |
|
authorize the seizure or confiscation of any firearm, air gun, |
|
knife, or ammunition from an individual who is lawfully carrying or |
|
possessing the firearm, air gun, knife, or ammunition. |
|
(e) In this section: |
|
(1) "Air gun" means any gun that discharges a pellet, |
|
BB, or paintball by means of compressed air, gas propellant, or a |
|
spring. |
|
(2) "Knife" has the meaning assigned by Section 46.01, |
|
Penal Code. |
|
(3) "Sport shooting range" has the meaning assigned by |
|
Section 250.001. |
|
SECTION 4. The heading to Chapter 236, Local Government |
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 236. COUNTY REGULATION OF WEAPONS, FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, |
|
FIREARM SUPPLIES, AND SPORT SHOOTING RANGES |
|
SECTION 5. Section 236.001, Local Government Code, is |
|
amended by adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows: |
|
(1-a) "Knife" has the meaning assigned by Section |
|
46.01, Penal Code. |
|
SECTION 6. Section 236.002(a), Local Government Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Chapter 251, |
|
Agriculture Code, a county may not adopt regulations relating to: |
|
(1) the transfer, private ownership, keeping, |
|
transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, |
|
ammunition, knives, or firearm or air gun supplies; or |
|
(2) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport |
|
shooting range. |
|
SECTION 7. (a) A municipality or county may not enforce a |
|
regulation adopted by the municipality or county before the |
|
effective date of this Act that relates to knives, if the adoption |
|
of the regulation would be prohibited under Section 229.001 or |
|
236.002, Local Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
|
(b) A court in which a proceeding is pending for a violation |
|
of a regulation described by Subsection (a) of this section shall |
|
dismiss the proceeding. |
|
(c) The prohibition of enforcement of a regulation under |
|
Subsection (a) of this section does not: |
|
(1) affect a final judgment of a court upholding a |
|
penalty under a regulation described by Subsection (a); or |
|
(2) entitle a person who has paid a penalty for a |
|
violation of the regulation to a refund of the penalty. |
|
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |