HB 1927: Constitutional Carry: PASSED!

• The House and the Senate have taken their FINAL vote, approving the conference committee report! This means the bill now goes to the Governor, who has already promised to sign the bill.
• The bill will go into effect on September 1.
• We are thrilled with this historical step and believe that the passage of HB 1927 represents the strongest stand Texas has taken for gun rights since the Alamo!
• The final version does include some amendments that we opposed – such as barring a few small classes of people from carrying a handgun even though they can legally possess a firearm. The Senate insisted on these due the strong influence of the law enforcement organizations. We will work next session to fix these issues.
• However, the bill is still extremely positive. It absolutely recognizes the right of law-abiding citizens to carry handguns, open or concealed, without asking for permission, in nearly all of the same places as LTC carriers can currently legally carry.
• See our press release celebrating passage of HB 1927.

CLICK: What does the final version of HB 1927 say?

HB 2622: Second Amendment Sanctuary

• Earlier today, the Senate passed the exact same version already passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Governor, who has championed this legislation. If signed, it will go into effect on September 1, 2021.
• The bill keeps Texas personnel and resources from being used to enforce Federal gun-related laws enacted after January 19, 2021 that are not in Texas law.
• If an entity or agency violates the provision and tries to help enforce future Federal gun laws, that entity will be denied state funding.
• Note: The bill is NOT designed protect against existing Federal infringements or against any state-level infringements, and it does NOT stop the Federal government from enforcing their own laws.
• See our handout.

HB 957: Suppressor Freedom

• Last week, the Senate passed the exact same version already passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Governor, who has not yet weighed in on this legislation. If signed, it will go into effect on September 1, 2021.
• The bill repeals the Texas criminalization of suppressor possession apart from Federal regulations and establishes a class of “Made in Texas” suppressors that will be declared exempt from Federal regulations if they meet certain criteria.
• It also gives a path to secure a declaratory judgment on the constitutionality of this law before someone manufactures “Made in Texas” suppressors.
• Anyone who wants to take advantage of this law should first give notice to the Attorney General, who is then required to seek a declaratory judgment from a Federal court upholding the constitutionality of this law.
• NOTE: Those who try to manufacture or own suppressors without following Federal regulations before a successful and final court judgment may be subject to prosecution for a felony offense.
• See our handout.

HB 1500: Repeal of Emergency Powers

• Last week, the Senate State Affairs committee voted this bill out of committee in the same version as already passed by the House.
• The bill is on the Senate Intent Calendar and could be passed on the Senate floor as early as today. The Senate previously approved virtually identical language with a 23-7 vote.
• The bill repeals a Texas governor’s current statutory ability to regulate firearms during a disaster declaration or state of emergency.
• It also codifies AG Paxton’s opinion that municipalities are prohibited from regulating gun stores through local emergency declarations.
• See our handout.

In Their Own Words

• “HB 1927 represents Texas’ strongest stand to protect the right to keep and bear arms since the siege of the Alamo.” – Rachel Malone, GOA Texas Director in today’s GOA press release
• “We are charged with defending the freedoms that are owed to Texans and guaranteed by the Constitution. My faith is with law-abiding Texans, who are the first to respond because they are there.” – Rep. Matt Schaefer, closing speech here at timestamp 1:41:14
• “Texas has fulfilled the promise of our founding documents by finally restoring the right of law-abiding Texans to carry a handgun without a license for the defense of themselves and their loved ones.” – Senator Charles Schwertner, statement in support of HB 1927
• “The Texas Senate passed the House version of the bill cleanly. That means it now goes to Governor Greg Abbott, who hasn’t said anything about the bill so far.” – The Truth About Guns, Texas Senate Has Passed HB 957 Exempting Texas-Made Suppressors From NFA Regulation
• “Martin Luther King, Jr., was even denied his concealed carry permit application by his local law enforcement even though his home had recently been bombed.” – Aidan Johnston, GOA Director of Federal Affairs in his article, Catholic Bishops Should Support Constitutional Carry