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A TML IRP Stronger, Together <br /> <br /> <br />Scott Houston <br />Intergovernmental Relations Manager <br />scott.houston@tmlirp.org <br />512-791-4158 <br />www.tmlirp.org <br /> <br />(Version 2: Last Updated June 2021) <br />(The materials herein become effective September 1, 2021.) <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />H.B. 1927, the so-bill, becomes law effective September <br />1, 2021. The bill, known formally <br />21 years of age to carry a handgun in a concealed manner or openly in a holster, without the <br />requirement to first obtain a handgun license. <br /> <br />It does so by modifying language in the Texas Penal Code to make <br />convicted of, in the five-certain <br />crimes as outlined in state and federal law. T EX. P ENAL C ODE § 46.02; 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). <br /> <br />Interestingly, H.B. 1927 does not repeal licensed carry. Why leave that bureaucracy in place? At <br />least two reasons: (1) reciprocity several other states still require a license to carry, and a Texans <br />must have a Texas-issued license to carry to take advantage of that; and (2) ease of purchasing a <br />firearm license holders get to skip the subsequent background checks. The decision may also be <br />beneficial to employers who want to a <br />requirements for a license. <br /> <br />Local Government Regulation of Handgun Carry <br /> <br />The state laws governing where an authorized person can carry a handgun become very complicated, <br />very quickly. The TML Intergovernmental Risk Pool has prepared a detailed paper on the issues <br />(available on www.tmlirp.org at the Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast Series link). The <br />following is a summary of the most common local government facilities where the carrying of a <br />handgun by a person authorized by law to do so can be or is by law prohibited. The paper describes <br />several more. <br /> <br />1. Room where body subject to Open Meetings Act is meeting: For unlicensed carriers, <br />this is an outright ban; for license holders only, this is an optional prohibition. An <br />unlicensed carrier is prohibited from carrying a handgun into the room or rooms where a <br />meeting of a governmental entity is held, if the meeting is an open meeting subject to the <br />Open Meetings Act, and if the entity provided notice as required by the Open Meetings <br />Act. To the contrary <br />Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br /> <br />