Bill Text: TX HB15 | 2013 | 83rd Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the enforcement of certain federal laws regulating firearms, firearm accessories, and firearm ammunition within the State of Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-28 - Filed [HB15 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB15-Introduced.html
By: Krause | H.B. No. 15 |
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relating to the enforcement of certain federal laws regulating | ||
firearms, firearm accessories, and firearm ammunition within the | ||
State of Texas. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Penal Code, is amended by adding | ||
Section 1.10 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1.10. ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LAWS REGULATING | ||
FIREARMS, FIREARM ACCESSORIES, AND FIREARM AMMUNITION. (a) In | ||
this section: | ||
(1) "Firearm" has the meaning assigned by Section | ||
46.01. | ||
(2) "Firearm accessory" means an item that is used in | ||
conjunction with or mounted on a firearm but is not essential to the | ||
basic function of a firearm. The term includes a detachable firearm | ||
magazine. | ||
(b) An agency of this state or a political subdivision of | ||
this state, and a law enforcement officer or other person employed | ||
by an agency of this state or a political subdivision of this state, | ||
may not contract with or in any other manner provide assistance to a | ||
federal agency or official with respect to the enforcement of a | ||
federal statute, order, rule, or regulation purporting to regulate | ||
a firearm, a firearm accessory, or firearm ammunition if the | ||
statute, order, rule, or regulation imposes a prohibition, | ||
restriction, or other regulation, such as a capacity or size | ||
limitation or a registration requirement, that does not exist under | ||
the laws of this state. | ||
(c) A political subdivision of this state may not receive | ||
state grant funds if the political subdivision adopts a rule, | ||
order, ordinance, or policy under which the political subdivision | ||
requires the enforcement of any federal statute, order, rule, or | ||
regulation described by Subsection (b) or, by consistent actions, | ||
requires the enforcement of any federal statute, order, rule, or | ||
regulation described by Subsection (b). State grant funds for the | ||
political subdivision shall be denied for the fiscal year following | ||
the year in which a final judicial determination in an action | ||
brought under this section is made that the political subdivision | ||
has intentionally required the enforcement of any federal statute, | ||
order, rule, or regulation described by Subsection (b). | ||
(d) Any citizen residing in the jurisdiction of a political | ||
subdivision of this state may file a complaint with the attorney | ||
general if the citizen offers evidence to support an allegation | ||
that the political subdivision has adopted a rule, order, | ||
ordinance, or policy under which the political subdivision requires | ||
the enforcement of any federal statute, order, rule, or regulation | ||
described by Subsection (b) or that, by consistent actions, | ||
requires the enforcement of any federal statute, order, rule, or | ||
regulation described by Subsection (b). The citizen must include | ||
with the complaint the evidence the citizen has that supports the | ||
complaint. | ||
(e) If the attorney general determines that a complaint | ||
filed under Subsection (d) against a political subdivision of this | ||
state is valid, the attorney general may file a petition for a writ | ||
of mandamus or apply for other appropriate equitable relief in a | ||
district court in Travis County or in a county in which the | ||
principal office of the political subdivision is located to compel | ||
the political subdivision to comply with Subsection (b). The | ||
attorney general may recover reasonable expenses incurred in | ||
obtaining relief under this subsection, including court costs, | ||
reasonable attorney's fees, investigative costs, witness fees, and | ||
deposition costs. | ||
(f) An appeal of a suit brought under Subsection (e) is | ||
governed by the procedures for accelerated appeals in civil | ||
cases | ||
under the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. The appellate court | ||
shall render its final order or judgment with the least possible | ||
delay. | ||
(g) The attorney general shall defend any agency of this | ||
state that the federal government attempts to sue for an action or | ||
omission consistent with the requirements of this section. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |