89R6059 AJZ-D
 
  By: Blanco S.B. No. 908
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of certain firearm transfers, to the
  unlawful possession or acquisition of a firearm or ammunition, and
  to reports of lost or stolen firearms; creating criminal offenses.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 6, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 205 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 205. REGULATION OF PRIVATE FIREARM TRANSFERS
  SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 205.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Firearm" has the meaning assigned by Section
  46.01, Penal Code.
               (2)  "Licensed firearms dealer" means a person who is
  licensed as a firearms dealer under 18 U.S.C. Section 923.
  SUBCHAPTER B. NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK FOR
  PRIVATE FIREARM TRANSFERS
         Sec. 205.051.  NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK
  REQUIRED FOR PRIVATE TRANSFER OF FIREARM. A person may not sell or
  otherwise transfer a firearm to another person unless:
               (1)  the person is a licensed firearms dealer;
               (2)  the person sells or transfers the firearm to a
  licensed firearms dealer; or
               (3)  before the firearm is delivered to the person to
  whom the firearm is being sold or transferred, the person selling or
  transferring the firearm delivers the firearm to a licensed
  firearms dealer to retain possession of the firearm until the
  dealer conducts a national instant criminal background check in the
  manner required by 18 U.S.C. Section 922 and verifies that the
  person to whom the firearm is being sold or transferred may lawfully
  possess a firearm.
         Sec. 205.052.  DUTIES OF LICENSED FIREARMS DEALER. (a) If a
  licensed firearms dealer receives a firearm under Section
  205.051(3), the dealer shall conduct a national instant criminal
  background check in the manner required by 18 U.S.C. Section 922 to
  verify that the person to whom the firearm is being sold or
  transferred may lawfully possess a firearm.
         (b)  If a licensed firearms dealer determines that the person
  to whom the firearm is being sold or transferred may not lawfully
  possess a firearm, the dealer shall return the firearm to the person
  selling or transferring the firearm.
         (c)  If a licensed firearms dealer determines that the person
  to whom the firearm is being sold or transferred may lawfully
  possess a firearm, the dealer shall transfer the firearm as
  directed by the person selling or transferring the firearm.
         (d)  A licensed firearms dealer to whom a firearm is
  delivered under Section 205.051(3) may collect a reasonable fee
  from the person who is selling or transferring the firearm.
         Sec. 205.053.  EXCEPTION. This subchapter does not apply
  to:
               (1)  a transfer of a firearm to a person by inheritance
  or bequest on the death of the owner of the firearm; or
               (2)  a sale or other transfer of a firearm by the owner
  of the firearm if the transferor and the transferee are related
  within the third degree by consanguinity or within the second
  degree by affinity as determined under Chapter 573, Government
  Code.
         Sec. 205.054.  OFFENSE. A person who violates this
  subchapter commits an offense. An offense under this section is a
  Class A misdemeanor.
         SECTION 2.  Article 14.06(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A peace officer who is charging a person, including a
  child, with committing an offense that is a Class C misdemeanor,
  other than an offense under Section 49.02, Penal Code, may, instead
  of taking the person before a magistrate, issue a citation to the
  person that contains:
               (1)  written notice of the time and place the person
  must appear before a magistrate;
               (2)  the name and address of the person charged;
               (3)  the offense charged;
               (4)  information regarding the alternatives to the full
  payment of any fine or costs assessed against the person, if the
  person is convicted of the offense and is unable to pay that amount;
  and
               (5)  the following admonishment, in boldfaced or
  underlined type or in capital letters:
         "If you are convicted of a misdemeanor offense involving
  violence where you are or were a spouse, intimate partner, parent,
  or guardian of the victim or are or were involved in another,
  similar relationship with the victim, it may be unlawful for you to
  possess or acquire [purchase] a firearm, including a handgun or
  long gun, or ammunition, pursuant to federal law under 18 U.S.C.
  Section 922(g)(9) or Section 46.04(b), Texas Penal Code. If you
  have any questions whether these laws make it illegal for you to
  possess or acquire [purchase] a firearm or ammunition, you should
  consult an attorney. If you make a false statement to the court
  under oath relating to your possession or acquisition of a firearm
  or ammunition, you may be subject to prosecution for an offense
  under Section 37.02, Texas Penal Code."
         SECTION 3.  Article 26.13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  Before accepting a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo
  contendere, the court shall admonish the defendant by using the
  following statement:
         "If you are convicted of a felony offense, it may be unlawful
  for you to possess or acquire a firearm, including a handgun or long
  gun, or ammunition, pursuant to federal law under 18 U.S.C. Section
  922(g)(1) or Section 46.04(a), Texas Penal Code. If you have any
  questions whether these laws make it illegal for you to possess or
  acquire a firearm or ammunition, you should consult an attorney. If
  you make a false statement to the court under oath relating to your
  possession or acquisition of a firearm or ammunition, you may be
  subject to prosecution for an offense under Section 37.02, Texas
  Penal Code."
         SECTION 4.  Article 27.14(e)(1), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (e)(1)  Before accepting a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo
  contendere by a defendant charged with a misdemeanor involving
  family violence, as defined by Section 71.004, Family Code, the
  court shall admonish the defendant by using the following
  statement:
         "If you are convicted of a misdemeanor offense involving
  violence where you are or were a spouse, intimate partner, parent,
  or guardian of the victim or are or were involved in another,
  similar relationship with the victim, it may be unlawful for you to
  possess or acquire [purchase] a firearm, including a handgun or
  long gun, or ammunition, pursuant to federal law under 18 U.S.C.
  Section 922(g)(9) or Section 46.04(b), Texas Penal Code. If you
  have any questions whether these laws make it illegal for you to
  possess or acquire [purchase] a firearm or ammunition, you should
  consult an attorney. If you make a false statement to the court
  under oath relating to your possession or acquisition of a firearm
  or ammunition, you may be subject to prosecution for an offense
  under Section 37.02, Texas Penal Code."
         SECTION 5.  Article 42.0131, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 42.0131.  REQUIRED NOTICE REGARDING FIREARMS AND
  AMMUNITION [FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF MISDEMEANORS INVOLVING FAMILY
  VIOLENCE]. If a person is convicted of a misdemeanor involving
  family violence, as defined by Section 71.004, Family Code, or of a
  felony, the court shall notify the person of the fact that:
               (1)  it is unlawful for the person to possess or acquire
  [transfer] a firearm or ammunition; and
               (2)  a person who makes a false statement to the court
  under oath relating to the person's possession or acquisition of a
  firearm or ammunition is subject to prosecution for an offense
  under Section 37.02, Penal Code.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter D, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 411.0522 to read as follows:
         Sec. 411.0522.  INVESTIGATION OF LICENSED FIREARMS DEALER
  NOTIFICATION. (a) If the department receives a notification under
  Section 46.06(e), Penal Code, from a firearms dealer licensed under
  18 U.S.C. Section 923, the department shall initiate an
  investigation.
         (b)  If the department's investigation under this section
  produces evidence that a person may have violated Section 46.06,
  Penal Code, the department shall refer the case to the appropriate
  local authorities for further investigation and possible
  prosecution.
         SECTION 7.  Subchapter A, Chapter 2002, Insurance Code, is
  amended by adding Section 2002.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2002.007.  PROOF OF LOSS FOR FIREARM COVERAGE. (a) In
  this section, "personal property insurance" means insurance
  against damage to or loss of tangible personal property, including
  coverage provided in a homeowners insurance policy, residential
  fire and allied lines insurance policy, or farm and ranch owners
  insurance policy.
         (b)  This section applies to each insurer that provides
  personal property insurance in this state, including a county
  mutual insurance company, farm mutual insurance company, Lloyd's
  plan, and reciprocal or interinsurance exchange.
         (c)  A personal property insurance policy that includes
  firearm coverage must provide that a report of the loss or theft of
  a covered firearm submitted to a peace officer or law enforcement
  agency on or before the 10th day after the date the policyholder
  became aware the firearm was lost or stolen is sufficient proof of
  loss for the firearm.
         SECTION 8.  Section 46.06, Penal Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read
  as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if the person:
               (1)  sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to
  any person knowing that the person to whom the handgun is to be
  delivered intends to use it unlawfully or in the commission of an
  unlawful act;
               (2)  intentionally or knowingly sells, rents, leases,
  or gives or offers to sell, rent, lease, or give to any child
  younger than 18 years of age any firearm, club, or
  location-restricted knife;
               (3)  intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly sells a
  firearm or ammunition for a firearm to any person who is
  intoxicated;
               (4)  knowingly sells a firearm or ammunition for a
  firearm to any person who has been convicted of a felony before the
  fifth anniversary of the later of the following dates:
                     (A)  the person's release from confinement
  following conviction of the felony; or
                     (B)  the person's release from supervision under
  community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision following
  conviction of the felony;
               (5)  sells, rents, leases, loans, or gives a handgun to
  any person knowing that an active protective order is directed to
  the person to whom the handgun is to be delivered;
               (6)  knowingly purchases, rents, leases, or receives as
  a loan or gift from another a handgun while an active protective
  order is directed to the actor; [or]
               (7)  while prohibited from possessing a firearm under
  state or federal law, knowingly makes a material false statement on
  a form that is:
                     (A)  required by state or federal law for the
  purchase, sale, or other transfer of a firearm; and
                     (B)  submitted to a firearms dealer licensed under
  18 U.S.C. Section 923; or
               (8)  knowingly acquires or attempts to acquire a
  firearm or ammunition while the actor is prohibited from possessing
  a firearm or ammunition by a state law or a federal law other than 18
  U.S.C. Section 922(g)(4).
         (d)  An offense under Subsection (a) [this section] is a
  Class A misdemeanor, except that:
               (1)  an offense under Subsection (a)(2) is a state jail
  felony if the weapon that is the subject of the offense is a
  handgun; and
               (2)  an offense under Subsection (a)(7) is a state jail
  felony.
         (e)  A firearms dealer licensed under 18 U.S.C. Section 923
  who declines to transfer a firearm or ammunition to a prospective
  transferee because the National Instant Criminal Background Check
  System indicates that the prospective transferee is prohibited from
  possessing a firearm and ammunition shall notify the Department of
  Public Safety.
         SECTION 9.  Chapter 46, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Section 46.135 to read as follows:
         Sec. 46.135.  FAILURE TO REPORT LOST OR STOLEN FIREARM. (a)
  A person commits an offense if the person:
               (1)  owns a firearm that is subsequently lost by or
  stolen from the person; and
               (2)  fails to report the loss or theft, or cause a
  report of the loss or theft to be made, to a peace officer or law
  enforcement agency on or before the 10th day after the date the
  person became aware the firearm was lost or stolen.
         (b)  An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
         (c)  If conduct constituting an offense under this section
  also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the
  actor may be prosecuted under either section or under both
  sections.
         SECTION 10.  (a) Article 14.06, Code of Criminal Procedure,
  as amended by this Act, and Section 46.06, Penal Code, as amended by
  this Act, apply 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 subsection, an
  offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any
  element of the offense occurred before that date.
         (b)  Articles 26.13 and 27.14, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by this Act, apply to a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo
  contendere accepted by a court on or after the effective date of
  this Act, regardless of whether the offense for which the plea was
  accepted was committed before, on, or after that date.
         (c)  Article 42.0131, Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended
  by this Act, applies to a judgment of conviction entered on or after
  the effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense of
  which the defendant is convicted was committed before, on, or after
  that date.
         (d)  Section 2002.007, Insurance Code, as added by this Act,
  applies only to an insurance policy delivered, issued for delivery,
  or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.