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GOA TEXAS BULLET 4-6-2021

This week at a glance: 

  • In the House, Constitutional Carry is sitting in the Calendars Committee. See our alert with action items.
  • The Senate State Affairs Committee is holding its first hearing with gun bills this Thursday, including a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary bill but NOT including Constitutional Carry. See below for details.
  • The House Homeland Security Committee will hear 3 terrible bills and 5 small good bills on Thursday. Please submit comments online. See below for details.
  • Text your zip code to 844-222-7349 for detailed hearing updates this week.

Calendars Committee: 

  • In the House, after a committee hears public testimony on a bill and votes “yes” on it, the bill goes to the Calendars Committee.

  • The Calendars Committee acts as a gatekeeper and decides what bills will go to the House floor for a vote.
  • The following gun-related bills are currently in Calendars Committee:
    • SUPPORT: HB 1911 by White and HB 1927 by Schaefer: Constitutional Carry – see above
    • SUPPORT: HB 1856 by Hefner: traveler carry protection in hotel Read the bill
    • SUPPORT: HB 2557 by Rogers: volunteer school security
      See our handout
    • SUPPORT: HB 1387 by Harris: protections on possessing guns in foster homes
      See our handout
    • SUPPORT: HB 530 by Patterson: allowing election judges to carry in polling places
      See our handout
    • SUPPORT: HB 1407 by Schaefer: vehicle carry clarification
      See our handout 
    • OPPOSE: HB 367 by Sherman: prohibits people from possessing guns based on their thought process in selecting a victim (instead of the criminal act)
      Read the bill

Thursday: Senate State Affairs Hearing 

General info: 

  • The Senate State Affairs Committee meets Thursday to consider gun rights bills. Please come to Austin and join us if these are your priority bills!
  • The hearing starts at 9:30 am in the Senate chambers, at the Texas Capitol in Austin. We expect a break at 11 am for the Senate session.
    See hearing notice.
  • You must be present at the Capitol to give input on the public record. The Senate does not have a system to submit written comments online.
  • If you testify or sit in the room, you must take a COVID test before entering the Capitol.
    See details.
  • If you don’t want to take a COVID test, you can still register your opinion and help us with many other things at the Capitol.

Gun bills on the agenda: 

  • PRIORITY SUPPORT – SB 513 by Hall – 2A Sanctuary: This is one of the strongest Second Amendment Sanctuary bills. It declares that Texas personnel and resources won’t be used to enforce future Federal gun-grab laws and includes an individual criminal penalty for those who violate them.
    Read the bill | See our handout
  • PRIORITY SUPPORT – SB 18 by Creighton – Repeal Emergency Powers: Repeals a governor’s ability to regulate the way we buy, sell, and use guns and ammo during a disaster or emergency declaration. We’re thankful that Gov. Abbott hasn’t abused this power, but we shouldn’t have to rely on the good graces of any future governor.
     Read the bill | See our handout
  • SUPPORT – SCR 12 by Creighton: Restoring 10th Amendment State Sovereignty: Claims sovereignty under the 10th Amendment over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the Federal Government by the US Constitution; tells the Federal government to halt and reverse mandates outside of its enumerated powers that force or compel state actions. Note: this is a resolution, not a bill, so it does not have force of law.
    Read the resolution 
  • SUPPORT – SB 19 by Schwertner: Don’t Fund Anti-Gun Businesses with Tax Dollars: Prohibits government entities from contracting with a company to provide goods and services unless the contract includes affirmations that the company does not and will not discriminate against gun-related companies and ranges.
    • Applies to contracts of over $100,000 that are made with companies with at least 10 full-time employees and that are paid wholly or partly from taxpayer funds.
    • This is a response to companies that regularly discriminate against gun owners or gun-related businesses.

        Read the bill

  • SUPPORT – SB 20 by Campbell – Traveler Protection: prevents hotels from prohibiting guests from carrying handguns and ammunition from their vehicles to their hotel rooms and back, or from storing handguns and ammunition in their vehicles or rooms on hotel property. (We support amending this to include all firearms, not only handguns, similar to the House bill, HB 1856).
    Read the bill
  • SUPPORT – SB 550 by Springer – Repeals the “belt and shoulder” holster requirement for open carry of handguns, allowing open carry in any holster.
    Read the bill 
  • SUPPORT – SB 1253 by Hall: Ensures the option to obtain a permit for reciprocity purposes even after permitless carry passes. (Note: This bill was intended to accompany Hall’s SJR 24, which would provide an amendment to the Texas Constitution ensuring that Texas citizens do not have to obtain a permit in order to carry a handgun.)
    Read the bill

Thursday: House Homeland Security Hearing 

General info: 

  • The House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety will meet Thursday to consider 23 bills, including 3 terrible gun control bills and 5 pro-gun bills that help expand freedoms.
  • The hearing starts after the House adjourns. Most likely, that will be early afternoon. It is in Room E2.030 at the Texas Capitol in Austin.
    See hearing notice
  • Please submit comments online whether or not you intend to come to Austin. Start with “I support this bill” or “I oppose this bill,” then give 1-3 reasons.
  • If you come to Austin, please also register your position on all of the bills.
  • We suggest that you testify only if you have a specific story or situation that applies to these bills.

Good bills – submit public comments NOW

  • HB 3628 by Schaefer & 2112 by Metcalf: Repeals the requirement that non-concealed guns must be carried in a “belt or shoulder” holster and allows them to be carried in any type of holster.
    Read HB 3628
  • HB 2967 by Cason: Adds due process protections to avoid an innocent individual from being denied the ability to carry a handgun in a vehicle due to an alleged (but unproven) accusation of involvement with criminal street gangs.
    Read the bill See our handout
  • HB 781 by Sanford: Allows all school marshals at junior colleges to carry on their person (states that schools can’t require any marshals to store gun in a locked container). Currently, school marshals at junior colleges who interact regularly with students must store their guns in locked containers. Note: while we support on-body carry by school marshals, we also advocate strongly for repealing the ban on carry in schools by any law-abiding citizen. 
    Read the bill 
  • HB 2169 by Sanford: Repeals the elitist law that bans those who are behind on taxes from applying for an LTC. Note: While we support repeal of this requirement, there are also many unneeded requirements for LTC application. Currently, those who are behind on child support or currently charged with (not convicted of) a class A or class B misdemeanor, or a class C misdemeanor for disorderly conduct, cannot apply for a license. We support repealing these requirements and also making the license optional for carry – only a tool for reciprocity and firearm purchase. 
    Read the bill 

Bad bills – submit public comments NOW

  • HB 118 by Ortega: Universal Background Checks – requires a background check for every single gun transfer (exceptions for law enforcement, relatives, or those with an LTC).
    Read the bill See talking points 
  • HB 791 by Goodwin: “No free speech with the 2A:” Bans display of any firearm while attending or within 500 feet of a public demonstration. A “demonstration” would include one person making a speech, marching, or otherwise expressing his or her views in a way that could attract onlookers.
    Read the bill | See general talking points on the issue 
  • HB 880 by Hinojosa: “Investigate the innocent:” Requires an FFL (firearms dealer) to notify DPS if someone attempts to purchase a gun but is denied on a NICS background check; requires DPS to investigate – even though most denials are false positives. Creates a new Class A misdemeanor offense for knowingly making a materially false or misleading statement in providing information to a person for purposes of complying with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
    Read the bill | See general talking points on the issue