SB 546 Relating to the places where a person may carry a handgun if the person is licensed to carry a handgun and to certain related criminal offenses.
by Springer.
87(R) SB 546 - Introduced version (texas.gov)
I have read through this bill a couple times. It gets a bit tangled reading back and forth between current law, proposed law, references to other parts of the code. Here's my summary of what it does, which may be incorrect in some particulars, so no promises.
It should be kept in mind that Springer also introduced an unlicensed/constitutional carry bill (SB 540) as well(which at first glance seems superior to and better written than the House bill by Biedermann). (I got that just exactly backwards. I think the Biedermann bill is better). This bill to expand LTC carry seems to be specifically paired with the Springer con carry bill. (And upon futher reading, it seems Springer has two senate bills dealing with unlicensed carry? SB 540 and SB 545?)
In short, SB 546 would largely eliminate the current location restrictions on carry by LTC holders. Campus carry rules would remain,court rooms still off-limits (I think), school sponsored activities still no-go (but limited to the "portion of the premises" that the activities occur on, not entire building or property), polling places still off limits (but again, only the portion where voting is going on, not an entire building just because there happens to be a polling place in it. However most of the rest of the restrictions would be gone. I'm putting a question mark by those that I'm still unsure of, but it appears there would be no more ban for 51% establishments, at amateur and professional sporting events, at correctional facilities (?), at amusement parks, at civil commitment facilities (?), at hospitals in general, at the statutorily listed State Hospitals, at governmental meetings governed by the Open Meetings Act. It would also appear to ban employers from forbidding licensed carry at work and in company vehicles (?).
State agencies and political subdivisions would not be able to ban licensed carry at all. Right now that is generally true but there are some exceptions (like government meetings subject to the Open Meetings Act). SB 546 would pretty much make those exceptions go away.
Booboo follows. Disregard. >>>The bill would also fix the glitch in the code governing private security officers about carrying in plain clothes. Under current law, as I understand it, certain private security officers with the correct authorizations can open carry a handgun while in a uniform, but they can't carry concealed when in plain clothes unless they also have an LTC. SB 546 would eliminate the requirement for the LTC so a private protection officer who is otherwise authorized to be armed could carry concealed in plain clothes.
If the Springer SB 540 con carry bill and this bill both passed, you could, without needing a license, carry a handgun pretty much anywhere an LTC holder can carry under current law, and an LTC holder could carry nearly anywhere.
by Springer.
87(R) SB 546 - Introduced version (texas.gov)
I have read through this bill a couple times. It gets a bit tangled reading back and forth between current law, proposed law, references to other parts of the code. Here's my summary of what it does, which may be incorrect in some particulars, so no promises.
It should be kept in mind that Springer also introduced an unlicensed/constitutional carry bill (SB 540) as well
In short, SB 546 would largely eliminate the current location restrictions on carry by LTC holders. Campus carry rules would remain,
State agencies and political subdivisions would not be able to ban licensed carry at all. Right now that is generally true but there are some exceptions (like government meetings subject to the Open Meetings Act). SB 546 would pretty much make those exceptions go away.
Booboo follows. Disregard. >>>
If the Springer SB 540 con carry bill and this bill both passed, you could, without needing a license, carry a handgun pretty much anywhere an LTC holder can carry under current law, and an LTC holder could carry nearly anywhere.
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