Bill Text: TX HB5153 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-24 - Referred to State Affairs [HB5153 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB5153-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Tinderholt H.B. No. 5153
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 1, Government Code, is amended by adding
  Chapter 3 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 3. FEDERAL REGULATION OF FIREARMS
  SUBCHAPTER A. NON-COOPERATION
         Sec. 3.001.  PROHIBITION. No public officer or employee of
  this state or of any political subdivision of this state shall
  enforce or attempt to enforce, or provide material aid to the
  efforts of another who enforces or attempts to enforce, any of the
  following federal acts, laws, executive orders, administrative
  orders, rules, regulations, statutes, or ordinances:
               (1)  Any tax, levy, fee, or stamp imposed on firearms,
  firearm accessories, or ammunition not common to all other goods
  and services and that might reasonably be expected to create a
  chilling effect on the purchase or ownership of those items;
               (2)  Any registration or tracking of firearms, firearm
  accessories, or ammunition;
               (3)  Any registration or tracking of the ownership of
  firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition;
               (4)  Any act forbidding the possession, ownership, use,
  or transfer of a firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition by a
  person who is not prohibited under state law from possessing a
  firearm, unless the person is not legally present in the United
  States or this state; and
               (5)  Any act ordering the confiscation of firearms,
  firearm accessories, or ammunition from a person who is not
  prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm, unless the
  person is not legally present in the United States or this state.
         Sec. 3.002.  PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION. (a) Any political
  subdivision or any state or local law enforcement agency that
  employs a law enforcement officer who acts knowingly to violate the
  provisions of Section 3.001 shall be liable to the injured party in
  an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for
  redress, and subject to a civil penalty of fifty thousand dollars
  per occurrence.
         (b)  Any person injured under this section shall also have
  standing to pursue an action for injunctive relief in the district
  court of the county in which the action allegedly occurred or in the
  district court of Travis County. The court shall hold a hearing on
  the motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary
  injunction within thirty days of service of the petition.
         (c)  In any action under this section, the court shall award
  the prevailing party, other than this state or any political
  subdivision of the state, reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
         (d)  Sovereign immunity shall not be an affirmative defense
  in any action pursuant to this section.
         Sec. 3.003.  CONSTRUCTION. (b) For the purposes of this
  subchapter, "material aid" shall include voluntarily giving or
  allowing others to make use of lodging; communications equipment or
  services, including social media accounts; facilities; weapons;
  personnel; transportation; clothing; or other physical assets.
  Material aid shall not include giving or allowing the use of
  medicine or other materials necessary to treat physical injuries,
  nor shall the term include any assistance provided to help persons
  escape a serious, present risk of life-threatening injury.
         (c)  In this subchapter, "knowingly" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 6.03, Penal Code.
         (d)  Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to
  prohibit state officials from accepting aid from federal officials
  to enforce the laws of this state.
         (e)  It shall not be considered a violation of this
  subchapter to provide material aid to federal officials who are in
  pursuit of a suspect when there is a demonstrable criminal nexus
  with another state or country and such suspect is either not a
  citizen of this state or is not present in this state.
         (f)  It shall not be considered a violation of this
  subchapter to provide material aid to federal prosecution for
  felony crimes against a person when such prosecution includes
  weapons violations substantially similar to those found in Chapter
  46, Penal Code, so long as such weapons violations are merely
  ancillary to such prosecution.
         (g)  Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to alter
  any federal law.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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