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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a handgun proficiency course that is taken to obtain or |
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renew a concealed handgun license. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 411.185(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) To renew a license, a license holder must: |
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(1) complete a [continuing education course in] |
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handgun proficiency course under Section 411.188(a) [411.188(c)] |
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within the six-month period preceding: |
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(A) the date of application for renewal, for a |
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first or second renewal; and |
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(B) the date of application for renewal or the |
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date of application for the preceding renewal, for a third or |
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subsequent renewal, to ensure that the license holder is not |
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required to complete the course more than once in any 10-year |
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period; and |
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(2) submit to the department: |
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(A) an application for renewal on a form provided |
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by the department; |
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(B) evidence of handgun proficiency, in the form |
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and manner required by the department; |
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(C) payment of a nonrefundable renewal fee as set |
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by the department; and |
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(D) one or more photographs of the applicant that |
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meet the requirements of the department. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 411.188(a), (b), and (j), Government |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The director by rule shall establish minimum standards |
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for handgun proficiency and shall develop a course to teach handgun |
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proficiency and examinations to measure handgun proficiency. The |
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course to teach handgun proficiency is required for each person who |
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seeks to obtain or renew a license and must contain training |
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sessions divided into two parts. One part of the course must be |
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classroom instruction and the other part must be range instruction |
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and an actual demonstration by the applicant of the applicant's |
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ability to safely and proficiently use the applicable category of |
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handgun. An applicant must be able to demonstrate, at a minimum, |
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the degree of proficiency that is required to effectively operate a |
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handgun of .32 caliber or above. The department shall distribute |
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the standards, course requirements, and examinations on request to |
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any qualified handgun instructor. |
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(b) Only [a] qualified handgun instructors [instructor] may |
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administer the classroom instruction part or the range instruction |
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part of the [a] handgun proficiency course. The classroom |
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instruction part of the [handgun proficiency] course must include |
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at least six [10] hours [and not more than 15 hours] of instruction |
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on: |
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(1) the laws that relate to weapons and to the use of |
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deadly force; |
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(2) handgun use[, proficiency,] and safety; |
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(3) nonviolent dispute resolution; and |
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(4) proper storage practices for handguns with an |
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emphasis on storage practices that eliminate the possibility of |
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accidental injury to a child. |
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(j) For license holders seeking to renew their licenses, the |
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[The] department may offer online, or allow a qualified handgun |
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instructor to offer online, the classroom instruction part of the |
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handgun proficiency [continuing education instruction] course and |
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the written section of the proficiency examination [required to
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renew a license]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 411.188(c), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an application to obtain or renew a license to carry a concealed |
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handgun submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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application submitted before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect when the application was submitted, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |