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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibiting the carrying, possession, or storage of a |
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semiautomatic rifle on the campus of a public or private |
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institution of higher education; creating a criminal offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 46.03, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person carries, |
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possesses, or stores a semiautomatic rifle in any location on the |
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campus of an institution of higher education or private or |
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independent institution of higher education, including: |
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(1) a building or a portion of a building; |
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(2) a driveway, street, sidewalk, or walkway, or a |
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parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area; and |
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(3) a dormitory or other residential facility owned or |
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leased and operated by the institution and located on the campus of |
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the institution. |
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SECTION 2. Section 46.03(c), Penal Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivisions (1-a) and (6) to read as follows: |
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(1-a) "Campus" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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411.2031, Government Code. |
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(6) "Semiautomatic rifle" has the meaning assigned by |
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18 U.S.C. Section 921. |
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SECTION 3. Section 411.2032, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) This section does not authorize a person, regardless of |
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whether the person holds a license to carry a handgun under this |
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chapter, to store or transport a semiautomatic rifle in a motor |
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vehicle on the campus of the institution in violation of Section |
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46.03(a-1), Penal Code. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |