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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to federal firearm reporting for persons recently released |
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from emergency detention. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 411.052(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section, "federal prohibited person |
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information" means information that identifies: |
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(1) an individual who is at least 16 years of age as: |
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(A) a person ordered by a court to receive |
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inpatient mental health services under Chapter 574, Health and |
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Safety Code; |
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(B) a person acquitted in a criminal case by |
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reason of insanity or lack of mental responsibility, regardless of |
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whether the person is ordered by a court to receive inpatient |
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treatment or residential care under Chapter 46C, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure; |
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(C) a person determined to have an intellectual |
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disability and committed by a court for long-term placement in a |
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residential care facility under Chapter 593, Health and Safety |
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Code; or |
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(D) a person determined to be incompetent to |
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stand trial under Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(2) a child who is at least 16 years of age and has |
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been: |
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(A) found unfit to proceed under Subchapter C, |
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Chapter 55, Family Code, as a result of mental illness or an |
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intellectual disability; |
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(B) found not responsible for the child's conduct |
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under Subchapter D, Chapter 55, Family Code, as a result of mental |
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illness or an intellectual disability; |
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(C) ordered by a court to receive inpatient |
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mental health services under Subchapter B, C, or D, Chapter 55, |
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Family Code, as a result of mental illness; or |
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(D) committed by a court to a residential care |
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facility under Subchapter C or D, Chapter 55, Family Code, as a |
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result of an intellectual disability; [or] |
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(3) a person who is released from emergency detention |
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under Chapter 573, Health and Safety Code, and is prohibited under |
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federal law from engaging in certain activities involving a firearm |
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on a date earlier than the 30th day following the release date; or |
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(4) an incapacitated adult person for whom a court has |
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appointed a guardian of the person under Title 3, Estates Code, |
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based on the determination that the person lacks the mental |
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capacity to manage the person's affairs. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 573, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 573.0022 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 573.0022. NOTIFICATION SUBMITTED TO DEPARTMENT OF |
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PUBLIC SAFETY REGARDING WARD. (a) In this section, "department" |
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means the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas. |
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(b) As soon as practicable but not later than the first |
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working day after the date a peace officer places a person who is a |
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ward into custody under this subchapter, the peace officer shall |
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provide information on the ward to the department for the |
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department to provide to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for |
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use with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. |
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Except as otherwise provided by state law, the department may |
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disseminate information on a ward described by this subsection only |
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to the extent necessary to allow the Federal Bureau of |
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Investigation to collect and maintain a list of persons who under |
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federal law are prohibited from engaging in certain activities |
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involving a firearm. |
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(c) The department shall provide to a ward described by this |
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section access to information on the ward that is submitted to the |
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department. |
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(d) Information the department maintains on a ward |
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described by this section is confidential and may not be disclosed |
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by the department except as otherwise provided by this section or |
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other state law. |
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(e) The department by rule shall establish a procedure to |
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ensure department records reflect the date a ward is released from |
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emergency detention under this subchapter and a procedure to |
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transmit the records to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
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SECTION 3. Section 573.025(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person apprehended, detained, or transported for |
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emergency detention under this chapter has the right: |
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(1) to be advised of the location of detention, the |
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reasons for the detention, and the fact that the detention could |
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result in a longer period of involuntary commitment; |
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(2) to a reasonable opportunity to communicate with |
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and retain an attorney; |
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(3) to be transported to a location as provided by |
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Section 573.024 if the person is not admitted for emergency |
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detention, unless the person is arrested or objects; |
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(4) to be released from a facility as provided by |
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Section 573.023; |
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(5) to be advised that communications with a mental |
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health professional may be used in proceedings for further |
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detention; |
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(6) to be transported in accordance with Sections |
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573.026 and 574.045, if the person is detained under Section |
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573.022 or transported under an order of protective custody under |
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Section 574.023; [and] |
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(7) to a reasonable opportunity to communicate with a |
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relative or other responsible person who has a proper interest in |
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the person's welfare; and |
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(8) to be advised the person is prohibited from |
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purchasing a firearm before the 30th day following the date the |
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person is released from emergency detention. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 573, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 573.027 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 573.027. NOTIFICATION SUBMITTED TO DEPARTMENT OF |
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PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) In this section, "department" means the |
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Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas. |
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(b) After a person's release under Section 573.023, the |
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facility from which the person was released shall submit to the |
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department: |
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(1) the person's name, race, and sex; |
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(2) any known identifying number concerning the |
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person, including an applicable social security number, driver's |
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license number, or state identification number; |
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(3) the person's date of birth; and |
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(4) a statement of the facility's release of the person |
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under Section 573.023. |
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(c) If practicable, a facility shall submit to the |
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department the information described by Subsection (b) in an |
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electronic format the department prescribes. |
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(d) The department by rule shall establish a procedure to |
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provide the information a facility submits under this section |
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regarding a person released from emergency detention to the Federal |
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Bureau of Investigation for use with the National Instant Criminal |
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Background Check System. Except as otherwise provided by state |
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law, the department may disseminate information on a person |
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described by this subsection only to the extent necessary to allow |
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the Federal Bureau of Investigation to collect and maintain a list |
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of persons who are prohibited under federal law from engaging in |
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certain activities with respect to a firearm. |
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(e) The department shall provide to a person described by |
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this section access to the department's information on the person. |
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(f) Information the department maintains on a person |
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described by this section is confidential and may not be disclosed |
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by the department except as otherwise provided by this section or |
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other state law. |
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(g) The department by rule shall establish a procedure to |
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ensure department records reflect the date a person is released |
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from emergency detention under this subchapter and a procedure to |
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transmit the records to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an emergency detention that begins on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. An emergency detention that begins before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately |
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before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |