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          A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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          AN ACT
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        relating to the exemption fr | 
      
      
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        om range instruction for certain  | 
      
      
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        persons applying to obtain a license to carry a handgun. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Section 411.1881(a), Government Code, is amended  | 
      
      
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        to read as follows: | 
      
      
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               (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,  | 
      
      
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        a person may not be required to complete the range instruction  | 
      
      
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        portion of a handgun proficiency course to obtain a license issued  | 
      
      
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        under this subchapter if the person: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  is currently serving in or is honorably discharged  | 
      
      
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        from: | 
      
      
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                           (A)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or  | 
      
      
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        marine corps of the United States or an auxiliary service or reserve  | 
      
      
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        unit of one of those branches of the armed forces; or | 
      
      
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                           (B)  the Texas military forces, as defined by  | 
      
      
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        Section 437.001; and | 
      
      
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                     (2)  has, within the 10 [five] years preceding the date  | 
      
      
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        of the person's application for the license, completed as part of  | 
      
      
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        the person's service with the armed forces or Texas military  | 
      
      
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        forces: | 
      
      
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                           (A)  a course of training in firearm [handgun]  | 
      
      
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        proficiency or familiarization; or | 
      
      
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                           (B)  a range qualification process for firearm  | 
      
      
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        usage [as part of the person's service with the armed forces or 
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          Texas military forces]. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2017, the director of  | 
      
      
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        the Department of Public Safety shall adopt the forms and  | 
      
      
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        procedures required by Section 411.1881, Government Code, as  | 
      
      
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        amended by this Act. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only  | 
      
      
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        to an application to obtain a license to carry a handgun submitted  | 
      
      
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        on or after December 1, 2017.  An application submitted before  | 
      
      
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        December 1, 2017, is governed by the law in effect on the date the  | 
      
      
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        application was submitted, and the former law is continued in  | 
      
      
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        effect for that purpose. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |