2005 Final Status Report of Bills Filed

[Charles L. Cotton]

This is the final status report on selected firearms-related bills in the 2005 Texas Legislative Session. UPDATED 6/18/05

HB225 (Driver) - 5 year renewal on CHL – Signed by Gov. Perry on 5/31/05; effective 9/1/05.

HB318 (Hupp) - CHL confidentiality – Pass in the House; died in Senate Criminal Justice Committee ed

HB322 (Hupp) - CHL changes for military – Signed by Gov. Perry on 6/17/05; effective 9/1/05

HB332 (Burnam) - Minor in possession of firearms – Died in House Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee (Please see separate post on this bill and post on CLEAT's support.)

HB685 (Rose) - Certain military exempted from range requirement of CHL – Signed by Gov. Perry on 5/24/05; effective 9/1/05

HB823 (Keel) - Gun in car without CHL – Signed by Gov. Perry on 6/16/05; effective 9/1/05

HB896 (Farbee) - Employers’ parking lots; no CHL restriction Died in House Calendars Committee

HB1037 (Isett) - Establishes proper “exception� language in Penal Code Chp. 46 – Passed in the House, died in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee

HB1038 (Isett) - Reduction of certain CHL fees – Signed by Gov. Perry on 6/16/05; effective 9/1/05.

HB1066 (Hegar) - Beneficial changes to reciprocity language – Passed in the House; died in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee NOTE: This bill’s language was added by amendment to HB225 that passed.

HB1067 (Hegar) - Redefines “premises� for schools – Died in Criminal Justice Committee.

HB1075 (Menndez) - Exempts LEO’s from 30.05 (trespass) based only upon firearm possession – Final passage in the House; died in Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

HB2633 (Vo) - Companion bill to SB664 making "premises of a law enforcement agency" off-limits to CHL; Died in Law Enforcement Committee.

SB173 (Harris) - Redefines “premises� for schools. Died in Criminal Justice Committee.

SB664 (Rodney Ellis) - Makes "premises of a law enforcement agency" off-limits to CHL. Died in Criminal Justice Committee.

SB1386 (Rodney Ellis) - "Assault Weapons" Ban. Died in Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

Please note: CLEAT supported every anti-gun bill introduced, all of which were defeated. The only exception is SB1386, Ellis' "assault weapon" bill that was never set for a hearing, so CLEAT never had the opportunity to "officially" support it. In fairness to CLEAT, it never went public with any support for SB1386, but they did for the other anti-gun bills. CLEAT certainly would have supported the "assault weapons" bill, had it been given a hearing.

It is also noteworthy that CLEAT vowed to kill HB823 (car carry), but was totally inept in the attempt.

Please remember CLEAT's long-standing opposition to gun owners rights, when you are deciding where to send your law enforcement organization donations. I hope that you LEO's will reconsider your membership in an organization that opposes the rights of the people who exhibit the strongest support of law enforcement.

[jimlongley]

Thanks for the synopsis, Charles, I check the legislative web site just about every day, not just for gun bills either, and your list just made today's visit that much easier.

[dws1117]

Thanks for the updates.

[dolanp]

I am glad to see they modified the wording of HB322 to include the state guard, I will be joining up this week. Though it will be five years until I renew!

[jimlongley]

Sorry for the late update; I was out of town for a week.

Thanks again Charles, I have been fighting with the legislature web site, all of a sudden you can't search so you have to check each bill by number. Since I have other bills and issues I am interested in, your update cuts down on the time I spend.

And you don't need to apologize for anything, we were getting what we paid for.

Jim

[dws1117]

HB896 (Farbee) - Employers’ parking lots; no CHL restriction In House Calendars Committee - 4/8/05

Dang! Doesn't look like this one is going to go anywhere. For me, this was one of the most important bills of the session. Because of some employers stupid policies many are left unarmed from the time they leave for work until they return home. In my case that is about 13 hours in the day for 4 days of the week that I completely unarmed.

[jimlongley]

HB 225

Looks to me like the Senate might have amended this one out of passage. They added two amendments, which had been covered by other bills which are elsewhere in the process, and the house refused to concur with the amendments. Now it goes to a joint conference committee.

[Charles L. Cotton]

HB 225

Looks to me like the Senate might have amended this one out of passage. They added two amendments, which had been covered by other bills which are elsewhere in the process, and the house refused to concur with the amendments. Now it goes to a joint conference committee.

There was a technical problem with the wording of one of the amendments. The conference committee was needed to correct that technical problem. It should come out of committee soon and will have an up or down vote in the House and Senate.


Regards,
Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

BILLS UPDATED:

HB322 (Hupp) - CHL changes for certain military
HB823 (Keel) - Gun in car without CHL
HB1038 (Isett) - Reduction of senior CHL fees

[KBCraig]

BILLS UPDATED:

HB322 (Hupp) - CHL changes for certain military

The Senate ammendments passed the House. I presume that means it's off to Perry for a signature?

Kevin

[Charles L. Cotton]

Yep, HB322 is on the way to Perry.

Chas.

[one eyed fatman]

CHL changes for certain military

So what's certain military?

[Charles L. Cotton]

So what's certain military?

I worded that poorly. It allows active or honorably discharged military members to get CHL's at age 18; also reduces the fees.

Sorry,
Chas.

[dolanp]

It's great to see that bill pass, it has been needed for such a long time. Hopefully the governor agrees!

[Charles L. Cotton]

The House still has to concur before it goes to Gov. Perry, but that is not expected to be a problem. I would be shocked if Perry vetoes the bill.

Here's another shot at CLEAT: Charlie Wilkison vowed HB823 would never get out of the House Calendars Committee. Failing in that effort, he screamed even louder that CLEAT would kill it in the Senate. Now, if he'll only vow to get Perry to veto the bill, he'll have a "three-peat" of failed promises. I hope every LEO member of CLEAT drops their membership and let's the organization know why.

Regards,
Chas.