2023 Pro Gun legislation?

[ralewis]

Haven't seen any mention of any pro-gun legislation. Things like reducing off limits locations for License holders, carry in 51% locations specifically. Anything interesting happening this session?

[Papa_Tiger]

It is still early in the session, not much will be done until April/May.

There have been several good bills filed and referred to various committees in the House and Senate.

Here are the Pro-2A bills I'm tracking:
88(R) HB 175 Author: Schaefer
Last Action: 03/21/2023 H Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Caption: Relating to the expunction of arrest records and files for certain defendants placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for the unlawful carrying of a handgun.
Comment: Records Expungement

88(R) HB 192 Author: Schaefer | et al.
Last Action: 02/23/2023 H Referred to Community Safety, Select
Caption: Relating to the possession of a weapon in certain locations of a government court.
Comment: Offices utilized by the court clarification - this is a much needed clarification to restrict off-limits places to ONLY certain places within a "courthouse". This prevents governments from claiming that a whole municipal complex is off limits because a court happens to be in one of the rooms of the complex.

88(R) HB 636 Author: Patterson
Last Action: 03/21/2023 H Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Caption: Relating to the applicability to election judges of a prohibition on the carrying of a handgun at a polling place.
Comment: Carry by Election Judges

88(R) HB 1229 Author: Harris, Cody
Last Action: 03/21/2023 H Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Caption: Relating to the collection and confidentiality of information regarding weapons in agency foster homes; creating a civil penalty.
Comment: Foster Home firearm disclosure

88(R) HB 1760 Author: Hefner
Last Action: 03/21/2023 H Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Caption: Relating to the prosecution of the offense of possessing a weapon in certain prohibited places associated with schools or postsecondary educational institutions.
Comment: School off limits - owned and under the control of. This clarifies when and where school sponsored activities apply - only when the school owns the property and is under the control of the school.

88(R) SB 599 Author: Birdwell | et al.
Last Action: 03/16/2023 S Reported engrossed
Caption: Relating to the carrying or possession of a handgun by a district clerk and the issuance of a handgun license to a district clerk.
Comment: District Clerk LTC/Carry - Passed in the Senate and on the way to the House

[RoyGBiv]

Disappointing not to see any real progress on reducing off limits places.

Getting rid of the hypocrisy around "private property rights" that's used as justification for businesses open to the public to be allowed to prohibit 2A while at the same time it's just fine to tell those same businesses what days/hours they are allowed to operate (blue laws) or that they are required to make accommodations for disabled (ADA), obey occupational safety rules, pay licensing fees, meet building codes, etc. ad-infinitum... How many library shelves are filled with volumes of government rules telling "private businesses" what they must and cannot do?

I'm not in any way suggesting that most of the rules we put on businesses are bad.... (except maybe Blue Laws)...

I'm just saying that on one hand government has no problem putting burdens on "private businesses" while at the same time claiming some sort of "private property" straw man argument that somehow ties their hands and prevents them from requiring those same businesses to honor a constitutionally enumerated right.

If a business wants to ban guns, then it should close its doors to the public and make itself a members only organization, with appropriate rules requiring them to prove they are not open to the general public.

ETA

And.... Private businesses that ban 2A should be required to scan everyone for weapons to assure that "bad guys" are not taking advantage of the gun free zone and, they should also be required to provide secure on site storage so that guns are not stored in vehicles, thereby reducing the number of stolen guns.

/rant