|  | 
      
        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to the carrying of handguns on the campuses of and certain | 
      
        |  | other locations associated with institutions of higher education; | 
      
        |  | providing a criminal penalty. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Section 411.2031 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 411.2031.  CARRYING OF HANDGUNS BY LICENSE HOLDERS ON | 
      
        |  | CERTAIN CAMPUSES.  (a)  For purposes of this section: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Campus" means all land and buildings owned or | 
      
        |  | leased by an institution of higher education or private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education" have the meanings | 
      
        |  | assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | 
      
        |  | (3)  "Premises" has the meaning assigned by Section | 
      
        |  | 46.035, Penal Code. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A license holder may carry a concealed handgun on or | 
      
        |  | about the license holder's person while the license holder is on the | 
      
        |  | campus of an institution of higher education or private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education in this state. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d) or (e), an | 
      
        |  | institution of higher education or private or independent | 
      
        |  | institution of higher education in this state may not adopt any | 
      
        |  | rule, regulation, or other provision prohibiting license holders | 
      
        |  | from carrying handguns on the campus of the institution. | 
      
        |  | (d)  An institution of higher education or private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education in this state may | 
      
        |  | establish rules, regulations, or other provisions concerning the | 
      
        |  | storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential facilities | 
      
        |  | that are owned or leased and operated by the institution and located | 
      
        |  | on the campus of the institution. | 
      
        |  | (e)  A private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education in this state, after consulting with students, staff, and | 
      
        |  | faculty of the institution, may establish rules, regulations, or | 
      
        |  | other provisions prohibiting license holders from carrying | 
      
        |  | handguns on the campus of the institution, any grounds or building | 
      
        |  | on which an activity sponsored by the institution is being | 
      
        |  | conducted, or a passenger transportation vehicle owned by the | 
      
        |  | institution. | 
      
        |  | (f)  This section does not permit a person to possess a | 
      
        |  | concealed handgun, or go with a concealed handgun, on the premises | 
      
        |  | of a hospital maintained or operated by an institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education or private or independent institution of higher education | 
      
        |  | if the hospital gives effective notice under Section 30.06, Penal | 
      
        |  | Code.  In this subsection, "hospital" has the meaning assigned by | 
      
        |  | Section 241.003, Health and Safety Code. | 
      
        |  | (g)  This section does not permit a person to possess a | 
      
        |  | concealed handgun, or go with a concealed handgun, on the premises | 
      
        |  | of a preschool, elementary school, or secondary school that is | 
      
        |  | located on the campus of an institution of higher education or | 
      
        |  | private or independent institution of higher education if the | 
      
        |  | institution gives effective notice under Section 30.06, Penal Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Section 411.208, Government Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsection (f) to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A court may not hold the state, an agency or subdivision | 
      
        |  | of the state, an officer or employee of the state, an institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education, an officer or employee of an institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education, a private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education that has not adopted rules under Section 411.2031(e), an | 
      
        |  | officer or employee of a private or independent institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education that has not adopted rules under Section | 
      
        |  | 411.2031(e), a peace officer, or a qualified handgun instructor | 
      
        |  | liable for damages caused by: | 
      
        |  | (1)  an action authorized under this subchapter or a | 
      
        |  | failure to perform a duty imposed by this subchapter; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  the actions of an applicant or license holder that | 
      
        |  | occur after the applicant has received a license or been denied a | 
      
        |  | license under this subchapter. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A cause of action in damages may not be brought against | 
      
        |  | the state, an agency or subdivision of the state, an officer or | 
      
        |  | employee of the state, an institution of higher education, an | 
      
        |  | officer or employee of an institution of higher education, a | 
      
        |  | private or independent institution of higher education that has not | 
      
        |  | adopted rules under Section 411.2031(e), an officer or employee of | 
      
        |  | a private or independent institution of higher education that has | 
      
        |  | not adopted rules under Section 411.2031(e), a peace officer, or a | 
      
        |  | qualified handgun instructor for any damage caused by the actions | 
      
        |  | of an applicant or license holder under this subchapter. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The immunities granted under Subsections (a), (b), and | 
      
        |  | (c) do not apply to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  an act or a failure to act by the state, an agency | 
      
        |  | or subdivision of the state, an officer of the state, an institution | 
      
        |  | of higher education, an officer or employee of an institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education, a private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education that has not adopted rules under Section 411.2031(e), an | 
      
        |  | officer or employee of a private or independent institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education that has not adopted rules under Section | 
      
        |  | 411.2031(e), or a peace officer if the act or failure to act was | 
      
        |  | capricious or arbitrary; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  any officer or employee of an institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education or private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education described by Subdivision (1) who possesses a handgun on | 
      
        |  | the campus of that institution and whose conduct with regard to the | 
      
        |  | handgun is made the basis of a claim for personal injury or property | 
      
        |  | damage. | 
      
        |  | (f)  For purposes of this section: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Campus" has the meaning assigned by Section | 
      
        |  | 411.2031. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education" have the meanings | 
      
        |  | assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  Section 46.03, Penal Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (j) and (k) | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, | 
      
        |  | knowingly, or recklessly possesses or goes with a firearm, illegal | 
      
        |  | knife, club, or prohibited weapon listed in Section 46.05(a): | 
      
        |  | (1)  on the physical premises of a school or | 
      
        |  | educational institution, any grounds or building on which an | 
      
        |  | activity sponsored by a school or educational institution is being | 
      
        |  | conducted, or a passenger transportation vehicle of a school or | 
      
        |  | educational institution, whether the school or educational | 
      
        |  | institution is public or private, unless: | 
      
        |  | (A)  pursuant to written regulations or written | 
      
        |  | authorization of the institution; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  the person possesses or goes with a concealed | 
      
        |  | handgun that the person is licensed to carry under Subchapter H, | 
      
        |  | Chapter 411, Government Code, and no other weapon to which this | 
      
        |  | section applies, on the premises of an institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education or private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education, on any grounds or building on which an activity | 
      
        |  | sponsored by the institution is being conducted, or in a passenger | 
      
        |  | transportation vehicle of the institution; | 
      
        |  | (2)  on the premises of a polling place on the day of an | 
      
        |  | election or while early voting is in progress; | 
      
        |  | (3)  on the premises of any government court or offices | 
      
        |  | utilized by the court, unless pursuant to written regulations or | 
      
        |  | written authorization of the court; | 
      
        |  | (4)  on the premises of a racetrack; | 
      
        |  | (5)  in or into a secured area of an airport; or | 
      
        |  | (6)  within 1,000 feet of premises the location of | 
      
        |  | which is designated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a | 
      
        |  | place of execution under Article 43.19, Code of Criminal Procedure, | 
      
        |  | on a day that a sentence of death is set to be imposed on the | 
      
        |  | designated premises and the person received notice that: | 
      
        |  | (A)  going within 1,000 feet of the premises with | 
      
        |  | a weapon listed under this subsection was prohibited; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  possessing a weapon listed under this | 
      
        |  | subsection within 1,000 feet of the premises was prohibited. | 
      
        |  | (c)  In this section: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education" have the meanings | 
      
        |  | assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "Premises" has the meaning assigned by Section | 
      
        |  | 46.035. | 
      
        |  | (3) [ (2)]  "Secured area" means an area of an airport | 
      
        |  | terminal building to which access is controlled by the inspection | 
      
        |  | of persons and property under federal law. | 
      
        |  | (j)  Subsection (a)(1)(B) does not permit a person to possess | 
      
        |  | a concealed handgun, or go with a concealed handgun, on the premises | 
      
        |  | of a hospital maintained or operated by an institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education or private or independent institution of higher education | 
      
        |  | if the hospital gives effective notice under Section 30.06.  In this | 
      
        |  | subsection, "hospital" has the meaning assigned by Section 241.003, | 
      
        |  | Health and Safety Code. | 
      
        |  | (k)  Subsection (a)(1)(B) does not permit a person to possess | 
      
        |  | a concealed handgun, or go with a concealed handgun, on the premises | 
      
        |  | of a preschool, elementary school, or secondary school that is | 
      
        |  | located on the premises of an institution of higher education or | 
      
        |  | private or independent institution of higher education if the | 
      
        |  | institution gives effective notice under Section 30.06. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 4.  Section 46.035, Penal Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | amending Subsections (g), (h), and (j) and adding Subsections (a-1) | 
      
        |  | and (l) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a license holder | 
      
        |  | commits an offense if the license holder carries a partially or | 
      
        |  | wholly visible handgun, regardless of whether the handgun is | 
      
        |  | holstered, on or about the license holder's person under the | 
      
        |  | authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and | 
      
        |  | intentionally or knowingly displays the handgun in plain view of | 
      
        |  | another person: | 
      
        |  | (1)  on the premises of an institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education or private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  on any public or private driveway, street, | 
      
        |  | sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking | 
      
        |  | area of an institution of higher education or private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education. | 
      
        |  | (g)  An offense under Subsection (a), (a-1), (b), (c), (d), | 
      
        |  | or (e) is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed | 
      
        |  | under Subsection (b)(1) or (b)(3), in which event the offense is a | 
      
        |  | felony of the third degree. | 
      
        |  | (h)  It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a) or | 
      
        |  | (a-1) that the actor, at the time of the commission of the offense, | 
      
        |  | displayed the handgun under circumstances in which the actor would | 
      
        |  | have been justified in the use of force or deadly force under | 
      
        |  | Chapter 9. | 
      
        |  | (j)  Subsections (a), (a-1), and (b)(1) do not apply to a | 
      
        |  | historical reenactment performed in compliance with the rules of | 
      
        |  | the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. | 
      
        |  | (l)  Subsection (b)(2) does not apply on the premises where a | 
      
        |  | collegiate sporting event is taking place if the actor was not given | 
      
        |  | effective notice under Section 30.06. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 5.  Section 46.035(f), Penal Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (1-a)  "Institution of higher education" and "private | 
      
        |  | or independent institution of higher education" have the meanings | 
      
        |  | assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 6.  Section 46.035, Penal Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | amending Subsections (g), (h), and (j) and adding Subsection (a-2) | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a-2)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 46.03(a), a | 
      
        |  | license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a | 
      
        |  | handgun on the campus of a private or independent institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education in this state that has established rules, | 
      
        |  | regulations, or other provisions prohibiting license holders from | 
      
        |  | carrying handguns pursuant to Section 411.2031(e), Government | 
      
        |  | Code, or on the grounds or building on which an activity sponsored | 
      
        |  | by such an institution is being conducted, or in a passenger | 
      
        |  | transportation vehicle of such an institution, regardless of | 
      
        |  | whether the handgun is concealed, provided the institution gives | 
      
        |  | effective notice under Section 30.06. | 
      
        |  | (g)  An offense under Subsection (a), (a-2), (b), (c), (d), | 
      
        |  | or (e) is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed | 
      
        |  | under Subsection (b)(1) or (b)(3), in which event the offense is a | 
      
        |  | felony of the third degree. | 
      
        |  | (h)  It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a) or | 
      
        |  | (a-2) that the actor, at the time of the commission of the offense, | 
      
        |  | displayed the handgun under circumstances in which the actor would | 
      
        |  | have been justified in the use of force or deadly force under | 
      
        |  | Chapter 9. | 
      
        |  | (j)  Subsections (a), (a-2), and (b)(1) do not apply to a | 
      
        |  | historical reenactment performed in compliance with the rules of | 
      
        |  | the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 7.  Section 411.208, Government Code, as amended by | 
      
        |  | this Act, applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after | 
      
        |  | the effective date of this Act.  A cause of action that accrues | 
      
        |  | before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in | 
      
        |  | effect immediately before that date, and that law is continued in | 
      
        |  | effect for that purpose. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 8.  The change in law made by this Act applies only | 
      
        |  | to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. | 
      
        |  | An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is | 
      
        |  | governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, | 
      
        |  | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  For | 
      
        |  | purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the | 
      
        |  | effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred | 
      
        |  | before that date. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |