By: Fallon, Buckingham	S.B. No. 1691

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to expedited processing of certain applications for a
	license to carry a handgun; waiving a fee.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 411.177, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) to
	read as follows:
	(b)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (b-1),
	the [The] department shall, not later than the 60th day after the
	date of the receipt by the director's designee of the completed
	application materials:
	(1)  issue the license;
	(2)  notify the applicant in writing that the
	application was denied:
	(A)  on the grounds that the applicant failed to
	qualify under the criteria listed in Section 411.172;
	(B)  based on the affidavit of the director's
	designee submitted to the department under Section 411.176(c); or
	(C)  based on the affidavit of the qualified
	handgun instructor submitted to the department under Section
	411.188(k); or
	(3)  notify the applicant in writing that the
	department is unable to make a determination regarding the issuance
	or denial of a license to the applicant within the 60-day period
	prescribed by this subsection and include in that notification an
	explanation of the reason for the inability and an estimation of the
	amount of time the department will need to make the determination.
	(b-1)  If the applicant submits with the completed
	application materials a copy of an active protective order issued
	under Title 4, Family Code, or Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal
	Procedure, or an active magistrate's emergency order of protection
	under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, that indicates
	that the applicant is protected by the order, the department shall,
	without charging a fee, expedite the application. As soon as
	practicable after the receipt of the materials under this
	subsection, the department shall:
	(1)  issue the license; or
	(2)  notify the applicant in writing that the
	application was denied:
	(A)  on the grounds that the applicant failed to
	qualify under the criteria listed in Section 411.172;
	(B)  based on the affidavit of the director's
	designee submitted to the department under Section 411.176(c); or
	(C)  based on the affidavit of the qualified
	handgun instructor submitted to the department under Section
	411.188(k).
	(b-2)  The director shall adopt policies for expedited
	processing under Subsection (b-1).
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 411.1954 to read as follows:
	Sec. 411.1954.  WAIVER OF FEES FOR CERTAIN APPLICANTS WITH
	PROTECTIVE ORDER. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
	subchapter, the department shall waive any fee required for the
	issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license
	under this subchapter if the applicant submits to the department a
	copy of an active protective order issued under Title 4, Family
	Code, or Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal Procedure, or an active
	magistrate's emergency order of protection under Article 17.292,
	Code of Criminal Procedure, that indicates that the applicant is
	protected by the order.
	SECTION 3.  Section 411.177, Government Code, as amended by
	this Act, applies only to an application for a license to carry a
	handgun for which the completed application materials are received
	by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas on or after
	the effective date of this Act. An application for a license to
	carry a handgun for which the completed application materials were
	received before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
	law in effect on the date the materials were received, and the
	former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  Section 411.1954, Government Code, as added by
	this Act, applies only to an application for an original,
	duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun
	submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An
	application submitted before the effective date of this Act is
	governed by the law in effect on the date the application was
	submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that
	purpose.
	SECTION 5.  The Department of Public Safety of the State of
	Texas is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
	legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose.  If
	the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
	purpose, the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas may,
	but is not required to, implement a provision of this Act using
	other appropriations available for that purpose.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.