The following is a copy/paste of an email from the Texas State Rifle Association giving an update on how gun-related bills fared in this past Texas legislative session.
Last Thursday, Governor Perry added conservative issues to the last two weeks of the Special Session but the list did not include gun-related bills. While this is disappointing, all the pro-gun bills passed during the regular session have now been signed into law and will take effect September 1st. The list includes some major streamlines for concealed handgun licensees.SB 1907 by Sen. Glenn Hegar/ Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt allows CHL-students to have firearms in their personal locked vehicle when parked on a private or public university or college parking lot. A CHL-student could not be prosecuted but they were subject to the rule-making authority of the school and could be expelled. Passed and signed by Governor Perry. SB 299 by Sen. Craig Estes/Rep. Kenneth Sheets provides language to clarify the unintentional display of a firearm by a concealed handgun licensee. The language changed from “failure to conceal” to “intentional display of a weapon in a public place” when force or deadly force is not authorized. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry
SB 864 by Sen. Donna Campbell/Rep. Dan Flynn reduces the number of hours for the initial CHL class. The bill does not touch the required materials, the written test, or firearm proficiency exam. Range qualification is still in place but no counts toward the required hours. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry
HB 48 by Rep. Dan Flynn/Sen. Donna Campbell creates in statute a process for renewing your CHL online without taking a renewal class. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry 6/14/13
HB 698 by Rep.Springer/Sen. Craig Estes requires access to digital fingerprinting not more than 25 miles from the applicant’s residence and is limited to counties with a population of 46,000 or less. This is specific to rural Texans who are forced to drive hundreds of miles for digital fingerprinting. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry 6/14/13
HB 3142 by Rep. Cecil Bell, Jr./Sen. Craig Estes repeals the SA/NA designation for the CHL license. No more gun categories. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry 6/14/13
HB 1421 by Rep. Perry/Sen. Craig Estes provides law enforcement agencies an option in statute to sell confiscated firearms to a federal firearm dealer (FFL) instead of destroying. After the cost of the sale and any other related charges, funds could stay with that law enforcement agency. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry
HB 333 by Rep. Guillen/ Sen. Hinojosa requires hotels and motels to provide advance notice if they prohibit firearms. Passed and Signed by Governor Perry
Alice TrippLegislative Director
Some of my comments:
SB 1907 – baby steps
SB 299 – I think the intent of the law was always clear, but it’s nice to have it explicitly clear.
SB 864 – I have some mixed emotions here, but I think the end it doesn’t matter much. There’s no change to curriculum or requirements, merely accounting. The way it was made for a long day often with much filler and ways to meet the required hours. Now things can be more direct, concise, with less time wasted on everyone’s part. There will always be someone willing to abuse this tho, so vet your instructors carefully.
HB 48 – it’s good to embrace the Internet
HB 698 – reduction in burden is always good.
HB 3142 – good. This was silly.
HB 1421 – options are good
HB 333 – good. A little annoyed at the hassle, but hopefully winds up making things better for everyone in the end.
In a lot of ways, what I’m happy about is how these new laws remove things that didn’t make a lot of sense. It’s not really adding, it’s taking away, and that I can deal with.
Finally, if you like these laws, then you should be a member of the TSRA and support the TSRA-PAC. These laws don’t just magically happen. Yes, the NRA gets all the press and likes to take all the glory here, but Alice Tripp deserves so much of the credit for her work to make these things happen. If you are a Texas resident, if you appreciate and benefit from the laws of this state, show your support. (disclosure: I am a Life Member of the TSRA, and only “lobby” for their support because it’s one way I can add my voice to the legislative process… and you can too).
Stuff From Hsoi 
am I reading HB 48 correctly in that license renewals no longer require a class?
That’s the read that I got. The main point of the class was to update you about changes in gun laws (since the “last” legislative session). This is attempting to do the same but in a more expedient and less burdensome manner.
What will be more interesting for ME to hear is when I go back to DPS for my Instructor renewal and see how they present the matter.
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“requires hotels and motels to provide advance notice if they prohibit firearms”
Wait, I thought if you were renting a room, you had the same rights as if you own the space?
IANAL so I don’t know. But I would think it breaches into weird territory, e.g. if it’s a private hotel, property rights there…. I don’t know. Good question.
Or look at it this way. It lets you know from their website if they’re a business you want to even bother giving your patronage in the first place.
unrelated to guns but also kind of cool. switchblades are now legal in TX
http://fishgame.com/gunnews/?p=2346#.UcBb0JVr-fM.twitter
Yup. I saw that too. Makes sense.
Of course, we still have a weird patchwork of laws regarding knives (e.g. San Antonio).