Texas House Gives Final Approval to Impressive Number of Pro-Second Amendment Bills

Gun owners’ patience and persistence was rewarded on Saturday and yesterday, as the Texas House of Representatives led by Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) gave approval to a wide range of pro-gun legislation while the NRA Annual Meeting was underway in Houston. Most of these bills passed overwhelmingly, in spite of repeated attempts by anti-gun members of the minority party to kill some of these measures by raising parliamentary “points of order” against them for alleged violations of House rules. Many violations are procedural in nature, involving the committee process and committee reports. Thanks to the meticulous work of House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee Chairman Joe Pickett (D-El Paso) and his staff, none of the points were sustained, and debate and votes on the bills were allowed to proceed on the House floor.

Thank you to the hard-working sponsors of these measures and their dedicated staff for getting them passed in the state House of Representatives

Senate Bill 299 / House Bill 1304 by state Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) and state Representative Kenneth Sheets (R-Dallas) protects against charges of unlawful carry for the inadvertent or accidental display of a handgun by a Concealed Handgun Licensee. SB 299 was taken up in lieu of HB 1304 on the House floor and will be the bill that goes to Governor Perry for his signature. Senate Bill 864 / House Bill 47 by state Senator Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) and state Representative Dan Flynn (R-Van) reduces the minimum number of required classroom training hours for original and renewal Concealed Handgun Licenses from 10-15 to 4-6. This change would make it far more convenient for CHL applicants to obtain a license to carry and exercise their right to self-defense. SB 864 was taken up in lieu of HB 47 on the House floor and will be the bill that goes to Governor Rick Perry for his signature. House Bill 508 by state Representative Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) imposes civil fines on state agencies, cities or counties which improperly post 30.06 signs prohibiting Concealed Handgun Licensees from property which is not off-limits to them under the Texas Penal Code. It also gives the Texas Attorney General or local district attorney the ability to sue to collect the civil penalties if the offending agency or political subdivision fails to remove the sign after having been notified of a violation. This bill now moves to the Senate for consideration – please contact your state Senator and urge him or her to support HB 508! Contact information can be found by clicking here.