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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing for the open and concealed carrying of |
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handguns without a license and to related offenses and penalties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the Texas |
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Constitutional Carry Act of 2015. |
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SECTION 2. Section 46.02(a-1), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person |
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intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or |
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her person a handgun in a motor vehicle or watercraft that is owned |
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by the person or under the person's control at any time in which the |
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person is: |
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(1) [the handgun is in plain view; or
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[(2) the person is:
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[(A)] engaged in criminal activity, other than a |
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Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance |
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regulating traffic or boating; |
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(2) [(B)] prohibited by law from possessing a firearm; |
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or |
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(3) [(C)] a member of a criminal street gang, as |
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defined by Section 71.01. |
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SECTION 3. The heading to Section 46.035, Penal Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 46.035. UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN [BY LICENSE
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HOLDER]. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 46.035(b), (e), (f), and (g), Penal |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A person [license holder] commits an offense if he or |
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she [the license holder] intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly |
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carries a handgun [under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter
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411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is
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concealed,] on or about his or her [the license holder's] person: |
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(1) on the premises of a business that has a permit or |
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license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic |
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Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its |
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income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for |
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on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic |
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Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code; |
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(2) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, |
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or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking |
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place, unless the person [license holder] is a participant in the |
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event and a handgun is used in the event; |
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(3) on the premises of a correctional facility; |
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(4) on the premises of a hospital licensed under |
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Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing |
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home licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the |
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person [license holder] has written authorization of the hospital |
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or nursing home administration, as appropriate; |
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(5) in an amusement park; [or] |
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(6) on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other |
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established place of religious worship; |
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(7) at any meeting of a governmental entity; or |
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(8) while intoxicated. |
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(e) A person [license holder] who is licensed as a security |
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officer under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, and employed as a |
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security officer commits an offense if, while in the course and |
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scope of the security officer's employment, the security officer |
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violates a provision of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code. |
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(f) In this section: |
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(1) "Amusement park" means a permanent indoor or |
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outdoor facility or park where amusement rides are available for |
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use by the public that is located in a county with a population of |
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more than one million, encompasses at least 75 acres in surface |
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area, is enclosed with access only through controlled entries, is |
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open for operation more than 120 days in each calendar year, and has |
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security guards on the premises at all times. The term does not |
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include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or |
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walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area. |
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(2) "Intoxicated" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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49.01 ["License holder" means a person licensed to carry a handgun
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under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code]. |
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(3) "Premises" means a building or a portion of a |
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building. The term does not include any public or private driveway, |
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street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other |
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parking area. |
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(g) An offense under [Subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e)
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is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed under] |
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Subsection (b)(1) or (b)(3)[, in which event the offense] is a |
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felony of the third degree. An offense under Subsection (b)(2) or |
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(b)(7) is a Class A misdemeanor. An offense under Subsection |
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(b)(4), (b)(5), or (b)(6) is a Class C misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 5. Section 46.035(h-1), Penal Code, as added by |
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Chapter 1214 (H.B. 1889), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows: |
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(h-1) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsections |
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(b)(1)-(7) [(b) and (c)] that the actor, at the time of the |
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commission of the offense, was: |
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(1) an active judicial officer, as defined by Section |
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411.201, Government Code; or |
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(2) a bailiff designated by the active judicial |
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officer and engaged in escorting the officer. |
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SECTION 6. Section 46.035(h-1), Penal Code, as added by |
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Chapter 1222 (H.B. 2300), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows: |
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(h-1) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsections |
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(b)(1), (2), and (4)-(7) [(4)-(6), and (c)] that at the time of the |
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commission of the offense, the actor was: |
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(1) a judge or justice of a federal court; |
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(2) an active judicial officer, as defined by Section |
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411.201, Government Code; or |
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(3) a district attorney, assistant district attorney, |
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criminal district attorney, assistant criminal district attorney, |
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county attorney, or assistant county attorney. |
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SECTION 7. Sections 46.035(i) and (j), Penal Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) Subsections (b)(4)-(7) [(b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and
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(c)] do not apply if the actor was not given effective notice under |
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Section 30.06. |
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(j) Subsection [Subsections (a) and] (b)(1) does [do] not |
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apply to a historical reenactment performed in compliance with the |
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rules of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. |
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SECTION 8. Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (k) to read as follows: |
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(k) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no person |
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shall be required to obtain any license to carry a handgun as a |
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condition for carrying a handgun openly or in a concealed manner |
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except a person who is prohibited from possessing a handgun under 18 |
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U.S.C. Section 922. |
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SECTION 9. Section 411.207(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of |
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the officer's official duties may disarm a person in possession of a |
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handgun [license holder] at any time the officer has probable cause |
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to believe that the person poses an imminent threat to himself or |
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herself, the [reasonably believes it is necessary for the
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protection of the license holder,] officer, or another individual. |
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The peace officer shall return the handgun to the person [license
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holder] before discharging the person [license holder] from the |
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scene if the officer determines that the person [license holder] is |
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not a threat to himself or herself, the officer, [license holder,] |
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or another individual and if the person [license holder] has not |
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[violated any provision of this subchapter or] committed any other |
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violation that results in the arrest of the person [license
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holder]. The mere possession or carrying of a handgun, openly or |
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concealed, with or without a license issued under this subchapter, |
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shall not constitute probable cause for a peace officer to disarm or |
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detain an otherwise law-abiding person. |
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SECTION 10. Section 30.05(f), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(f) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that[:
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[(1)] the basis on which entry on the property or land |
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or in the building was forbidden is that entry with a handgun was |
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forbidden[; and
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[(2)
the person was carrying a concealed handgun and a
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license issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, to
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carry a concealed handgun]. |
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SECTION 11. Section 30.06, Penal Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 30.06. TRESPASS BY PERSON IN POSSESSION OF [HOLDER OF
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LICENSE TO CARRY CONCEALED] HANDGUN. (a) A person [license
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holder] commits an offense if the person [license holder]: |
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(1) carries a handgun [under the authority of
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Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,] on property of another |
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without effective consent; and |
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(2) received notice that: |
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(A) [entry on the property by a license holder
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with a concealed handgun was forbidden; or] |
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[(B)] remaining on the property with a |
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[concealed] handgun was forbidden and failed to depart. |
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(b) For purposes of this section, a person receives notice |
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if the owner of the property or someone with apparent authority to |
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act for the owner provides notice to the person by oral and [or] |
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written communication, or by oral communication alone. |
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(c) In this section: |
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(1) "Entry" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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30.05(b). |
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(2) ["License holder" has the meaning assigned by
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Section 46.035(f).
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[(3)] "Written communication" means: |
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(A) a card or other document on which is written |
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language identical to the following: "Pursuant to Section 30.06, |
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Penal Code (trespass by person in possession of [holder of license
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to carry a concealed] handgun), a person [licensed under Subchapter
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H, Chapter 411, Government Code (concealed handgun law),] may not |
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enter this property while in possession of a [with a concealed] |
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handgun"; or |
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(B) a sign posted on the property that: |
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(i) includes the language described by |
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Paragraph (A) in both English and Spanish; |
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(ii) appears in contrasting colors with |
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block letters at least one inch in height; and |
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(iii) is displayed in a conspicuous manner |
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clearly visible to the public. |
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(d) An offense under this section is a Class C [A] |
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misdemeanor. |
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(e) It is an exception to the application of this section |
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that the property on which the person [license holder] carries a |
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handgun is owned or leased by a governmental entity and is not a |
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premises or other place on which the person [license holder] is |
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prohibited from carrying the handgun under Section 46.03 or 46.035. |
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SECTION 12. The following provisions are repealed: |
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(1) Section 411.205, Government Code; |
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(2) Section 46.02(a), Penal Code; |
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(3) Section 46.03(f), Penal Code; and |
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(4) Sections 46.035(a), (c), (d), and (h), Penal Code. |
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SECTION 13. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of |
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the legislative session. |