86th Legislative Session: 2019

September 8, 2020

Summary of new laws passed in the 86th Regular Legislative Session that impact Handgun Licensing.

House Bill 121 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption:  Relating to a defense to prosecution for the offense of trespass by certain persons carrying handguns.

  • Amends Penal Code §30.06 and §30.07 by providing license holders with a defense to prosecution when the license holder was personally given notice by oral communication and promptly departed from the property.

House Bill 302 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption:  Relating to the carrying, storage, or possession of a firearm or firearm ammunition by certain persons on certain residential or commercial property.

  • Prohibits landlords from restricting tenants and their guests from possessing firearms and ammunition, unless possession on a landlord's property is prohibited by state or federal law.

  • Amends Penal Code §30.05, §30.06, and §30.07 by providing license holders with a defense to prosecution for individuals who are the owners, tenants, or guests.

House Bill 1143 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to the transportation or storage of a handgun or other firearm or ammunition by a handgun license holder in a school parking area.​

  • Prohibits school districts or open-enrollment charter schools from regulating the manner in which a handgun, firearm, or ammunition is stored in a locked, privately owned or leased motor vehicle that is in a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area provided by the district or charter school.

House Bill 1177 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to carrying a handgun during a state of disaster.

  • Amends Penal Code §46.15, removing the provisions for unlawful carrying of a handgun if the person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm and is evacuating from or reentering to an area subject to mandatory evacuation during a natural disaster.

  • Provides that certain places where the carrying of a handgun is prohibited does not apply in situations where the premises is operating as an emergency shelter during a state of disaster and the owner, controller, operator, or person of apparent authority authorized the carrying of a handgun in the shelter.

House Bill 1552 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to firearms training for, weapons proficiency of, and carrying of a handgun or other firearm by county jailers and qualified retired law enforcement officers.

  • Amends the License to Carry (LTC) application requirements for former Reserve Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) by reducing the total number of cumulative years of service with one or more state or local law enforcement agencies from 15 years to 10 years. 

  • Removes the requirement for former Reserve LEOs to maintain and report a weapons proficiency certificate to the department as holder of an LTC.

House Bill 1791 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to the carrying of handguns by license holders on property owned or leased by a governmental entity.

  • Provides that a state agency or political subdivision of this state may not take any action to prohibit a License to Carry (LTC) holder from the lawful carrying of a handgun on the premises or other place owned or leased by that governmental authority.

  • Makes minor changes to existing law governing the complaint process for license holders to file with the Texas Attorney General's Office against governmental entities as it relates to this law. 

House Bill 2137 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to an application made by certain retired state and federal officers to obtain a license to carry a handgun; waiving a fee.

  • Changes documentation requirements and waives the fee for a License to Carry (LTC) application for retired peace officers and retired federal officers.

House Bill 3706 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to a license to carry a handgun for active and retired railroad peace officers and special ranger of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

  • Waives the fee for a License to Carry (LTC) application for active and retired Railroad Peace Officers and Special Rangers of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

  • Requires retired Railroad Peace Officer and Special Rangers of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association applicants to submit fingerprints as part of the license application.

House Bill 4428 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to the application for and expiration of a license to carry a handgun.

  • Changes the expiration date for a License to Carry (LTC) to reflect the expiration of the license holder's lawful presence in the United States.

  • If there is no definite expiration date for the applicant's lawful presence, the License to Carry (LTC) will expire one year after it is issued. 

  • If an extension for the license holder's lawful presence is granted, the applicant may apply for a duplicate license with an updated expiration date.  The duplicate license will expire on the earlier of the licensee's birthday (4th or 5th year, as applicable), the date lawful presence expires, or the first anniversary of the date of renewal (if no definite expiration date). 

Senate Bill 535 Effective: September 1, 2019

Caption: Relating to the carrying of a handgun by a license holder on the premises of certain places of religious worship.

  • Amends Penal Code §46.035 to remove the prohibition against carrying in a church, synagogue or other established place of religious worship. 

  • A place of religious worship may still post notice under Penal Code 30.06 or 30.07 prohibiting the concealed and/or openly carrying of a handgun on the premise.