TSRA Testifies on Red Flag Laws

Many TSRA Past Presidents only use the word “Past” in their official title. Oftentimes, former TSRA leaders will remain vital in the TSRA Mission years after they’ve hung up their presidential hat.
 
This is the case with TSRA Past President Wayne Nunn, who testified before a subcommittee of the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee in support of Senate Bill 1362 by Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) & Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant) last Thursday. This TSRA-priority measure bans the enforcement of so-called “red flag” laws or “extreme risk protective orders” to protect Texans’ Second Amendment and due process rights.  It prevents local governmental entities and officials from adopting or enforcing red flag or ERPO ordinances, rules or regulations, and it prohibits the acceptance of federal grant money to implement or enforce federal red flag or ERPO laws.
 
“TSRA opposes red flag or ERPO gun confiscation schemes,” said TSRA Executive Director, John Poole. “Current statutes adequately address dangerous or mentally ill persons and access to firearms.” Chapter 573 of the Health and Safety Code covers these items. TSRA has opposed red flag or ERPO bills for years in the Texas Legislature because they universally lack due process protections, sufficient evidentiary standards, and adequate options and procedures for relinquishing and regaining possession of firearms.  
Following the successful testimony by TSRA Past President Nunn, on Monday the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee reported out SB 1362, sending it to the House Calendars Committee to decide if and when the measure will be scheduled for debate and vote by the full House. This is considered a win for TSRA and like-minded individuals, as it is one step closer to becoming law.
 
Another TSRA-priority bill, Senate Bill 1065 by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) & Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant) is still waiting for a hearing and vote in the House State Affairs Committee.The testimony of TSRA and others has helped move this measure through the Senate. This important measure prevents “gun-free zones” from being created on public property and was filed in response to the Texas State Fair’s misguided decision to ban License To Carry holders from the event last year. More than 70 state lawmakers signed onto a letter last fall urging the Texas State Fair to rescind their policy, and its board of directors thumbed their nose at this request.  The Texas Legislature needs to take action on SB 1065 to reverse this ban.
 
   
Also on Monday, the Texas House voted to give initial approval to several other TSRA-backed bills; these will all move to the Texas Senate for consideration upon final passage in the House today:
 

• House Bill 1403 by Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine) prohibiting state and child placement agencies from requiring foster parents to disclose specific types of firearms and to report any newly-acquired or relinquished guns in the household. TSRA does not oppose foster parents being asked to disclose whether they own firearms, but we do object to them being required to provide specific descriptions or a registry of lawfully-owned guns to a state or child placement agency. HB 1403 passed on second reading on a 103-32 vote.

• House Bill 1794 by Rep. Carl Tepper (R-Lubbock) allowing License to Carry holders to carry handguns at polling places that are not otherwise prohibited locations in Texas Penal Code Section 46.03. HB 1794 passed on second reading by a vote of 87-53.

• House Bill 3053 by Rep. Wes Virdell (R-Kerrville) banning local governments from organizing, sponsoring, or participating in taxpayer-funded “gun buyback” programs.  HB 3053 passed on second reading 90-49.

 
The deadline for House Committees to report out House bills was yesterday (May 12), and the deadline for the House to consider House bills on a second reading is Thursday. This means that thousands of bills will perish this week. Bills backed by TSRA are moving ahead of these deadlines, but we still have several steps in the process that all of them need to go through.