Posted By: victor454
Bill Hearings For This Thursday! - 04/07/21 10:02 AM
From Texas State Rifle Association
Several of the bills I am writing about today are the Senate versions of excellent bills. We need to support both the House versions and the Senate versions--you never know which will pass but we surely want one of them too!
I will list out the House bills being heard Thursday after the Thursday Senate bills. (Sorry, this email is a little long-bear with me!)
The first three bills in this list are the Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's "Priority Bills" and we are grateful.
SB 18 by Senator Creighton is the Senate version of a bill that just today was voted out of its House Committee. This bill forbids any Texas Governor from restricting our Second Amendment rights during a disaster or state of emergency. Please remember this is not about the current Governor but rather future Governor's who may or may not be "friendly" to us in the future.
SB 19 by Senator Schwertner would forbid governmental contracts with companies who discriminate about the firearms industries. The idea is not to use tax dollars to support businesses who are anti-2A.
SB 20 by Senator Campbell is the bill which protects LTC holders and non-LTC holders from being told they cannot possess a handgun or ammunition in hotel rooms, in their vehicles on hotel property, or transport it to and from their rooms. In addition to limiting the ability of a hotel to create such a policy, it creates defenses to prosecution for criminal trespass based upon possession of a handgun or ammunition.
SB 550 by Senator Springer removes the specific type of holster requirement to cover all holsters for the open carrying of a handgun by LTC's. Currently, the law requires either a shoulder or a belt holster. for Open Carry. This bill would expand to all types of holsters for LTC's.
SB 1253 by Senator Hall re-affirms that Texas is not to do away with the LTC program even if Permitless Carry passes. (Remember none of the Permitless Carry bills would do away with the LTC program.) This bill cements the LTC program regardless of whether Permitless passes or not.
We SUPPORT all of these Senate bills! Please contact your Senators and make sure they do too!
In the House:
House Bill 118 by Representative Ortega is a bill that with precious few exceptions, requires Universal Background checks. In this bill, one can't even sell a legal firearm to certain family members. It calls for a non-specified fee as payment as well. This bill will do nothing to curb crime and would need a gun registry to enforce.
We OPPOSE this bill!
HB 791 by Representative Goodwin changes the disorderly conduct statute so that if one is legally open carrying within 500 feet of a public demonstration of ONE or more people, one can now be charged with a crime. By way of an example, if ONE or more people are demonstrating at the Capitol and decide to march down Congress Avenue, you now have a roving gun-free zone and even the police may not know how to interpret this. It is vague and, at best, misguided. It is ALREADY illegal to display a firearm in a way that intends harm. We OPPOSE this bill!
HB 880 by Representative Hinojosa creates a new state crime for knowingly making false or misleading statements on your NICS background check (which is already a federal crime) but goes one step even further by requiring an FFL to notify DPS when the NICS background check indicates a transaction may not take place. DPS is then required to investigate and refer where they see fit to local law enforcement. MAJOR problem--the NICS system can incorrectly flag a person even by mistake and this will cause all manner of problems for a person who is not actually prohibited at all. We OPPOSE this bill!
On the upside:
HB 2112 by Representative Metcalf and HB 3628 by Representative Schaeffer eliminates the requirement for a shoulder or belt holster for LTC's who choose to openly carry. LTC's can now choose a holster that they prefer should either of these bills pass into law! We SUPPORT these bills!
HB 2169 by Representative Sanford would remove the requirement that one be up to date on all their taxes in or to apply for or renew their LTC. We've lived through one pandemic and one Ice-pocalypse--the price to defend oneself shouldn't depend on whether or not one is late on their taxes. We SUPPORT these bills!
Please contact your Representatives and the committee of House Homeland Security and Public Safety to let them know how you feel about these bills!!
Hit reply if you want to get involved and need help.
Thank you!!!!!!
--------------
Andi Turner
Legislative Director
TSRA
Several of the bills I am writing about today are the Senate versions of excellent bills. We need to support both the House versions and the Senate versions--you never know which will pass but we surely want one of them too!
I will list out the House bills being heard Thursday after the Thursday Senate bills. (Sorry, this email is a little long-bear with me!)
The first three bills in this list are the Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's "Priority Bills" and we are grateful.
SB 18 by Senator Creighton is the Senate version of a bill that just today was voted out of its House Committee. This bill forbids any Texas Governor from restricting our Second Amendment rights during a disaster or state of emergency. Please remember this is not about the current Governor but rather future Governor's who may or may not be "friendly" to us in the future.
SB 19 by Senator Schwertner would forbid governmental contracts with companies who discriminate about the firearms industries. The idea is not to use tax dollars to support businesses who are anti-2A.
SB 20 by Senator Campbell is the bill which protects LTC holders and non-LTC holders from being told they cannot possess a handgun or ammunition in hotel rooms, in their vehicles on hotel property, or transport it to and from their rooms. In addition to limiting the ability of a hotel to create such a policy, it creates defenses to prosecution for criminal trespass based upon possession of a handgun or ammunition.
SB 550 by Senator Springer removes the specific type of holster requirement to cover all holsters for the open carrying of a handgun by LTC's. Currently, the law requires either a shoulder or a belt holster. for Open Carry. This bill would expand to all types of holsters for LTC's.
SB 1253 by Senator Hall re-affirms that Texas is not to do away with the LTC program even if Permitless Carry passes. (Remember none of the Permitless Carry bills would do away with the LTC program.) This bill cements the LTC program regardless of whether Permitless passes or not.
We SUPPORT all of these Senate bills! Please contact your Senators and make sure they do too!
In the House:
House Bill 118 by Representative Ortega is a bill that with precious few exceptions, requires Universal Background checks. In this bill, one can't even sell a legal firearm to certain family members. It calls for a non-specified fee as payment as well. This bill will do nothing to curb crime and would need a gun registry to enforce.
We OPPOSE this bill!
HB 791 by Representative Goodwin changes the disorderly conduct statute so that if one is legally open carrying within 500 feet of a public demonstration of ONE or more people, one can now be charged with a crime. By way of an example, if ONE or more people are demonstrating at the Capitol and decide to march down Congress Avenue, you now have a roving gun-free zone and even the police may not know how to interpret this. It is vague and, at best, misguided. It is ALREADY illegal to display a firearm in a way that intends harm. We OPPOSE this bill!
HB 880 by Representative Hinojosa creates a new state crime for knowingly making false or misleading statements on your NICS background check (which is already a federal crime) but goes one step even further by requiring an FFL to notify DPS when the NICS background check indicates a transaction may not take place. DPS is then required to investigate and refer where they see fit to local law enforcement. MAJOR problem--the NICS system can incorrectly flag a person even by mistake and this will cause all manner of problems for a person who is not actually prohibited at all. We OPPOSE this bill!
On the upside:
HB 2112 by Representative Metcalf and HB 3628 by Representative Schaeffer eliminates the requirement for a shoulder or belt holster for LTC's who choose to openly carry. LTC's can now choose a holster that they prefer should either of these bills pass into law! We SUPPORT these bills!
HB 2169 by Representative Sanford would remove the requirement that one be up to date on all their taxes in or to apply for or renew their LTC. We've lived through one pandemic and one Ice-pocalypse--the price to defend oneself shouldn't depend on whether or not one is late on their taxes. We SUPPORT these bills!
Please contact your Representatives and the committee of House Homeland Security and Public Safety to let them know how you feel about these bills!!
Hit reply if you want to get involved and need help.
Thank you!!!!!!
--------------
Andi Turner
Legislative Director
TSRA