|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to prohibiting public funds from being used to enforce |
|
certain federal or international 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. Title 1, Government Code, is amended by adding |
|
Chapter 2 to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS |
|
Sec. 2.001. PROHIBITION ON USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO ENFORCE |
|
CERTAIN FEDERAL OR INTERNATIONAL LAWS REGULATING FIREARMS, FIREARM |
|
ACCESSORIES, AND FIREARM AMMUNITION. (a) In this section: |
|
(1) "Firearm" has the meaning assigned by Section |
|
46.01, Penal Code. |
|
(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) This section applies to: |
|
(1) the State of Texas, including an agency, |
|
department, commission, bureau, board, office, council, court, or |
|
other entity that is in any branch of state government and that is |
|
created by the constitution or a statute of this state, including a |
|
university system or a system of higher education; |
|
(2) the governing body of a municipality, county, or |
|
special district or authority; |
|
(3) an officer, employee, or other body that is part of |
|
a municipality, county, or special district or authority, including |
|
a sheriff, municipal police department, municipal attorney, or |
|
county attorney; and |
|
(4) a district attorney or criminal district attorney. |
|
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, an entity described by |
|
Subsection (b) may not use public funds to enforce a federal |
|
statute, order, rule, or regulation or an international law |
|
purporting to regulate a firearm, a firearm accessory, or firearm |
|
ammunition, or the carrying of those items, if the federal statute, |
|
order, rule, or regulation or international law imposes a |
|
prohibition, restriction, or other regulation, such as a capacity, |
|
size, or configuration limitation, that does not exist under the |
|
laws of this state. |
|
(d) An entity described by Subsection (b) may not receive |
|
state grant funds if the entity adopts a rule, order, ordinance, or |
|
policy under which the entity requires the enforcement of any |
|
federal statute, order, rule, or regulation or an international law |
|
described by Subsection (c) or if the entity, by consistent |
|
actions, requires the enforcement of any federal statute, order, |
|
rule, or regulation or an international law described by Subsection |
|
(c). State grant funds for the entity 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 entity has intentionally required the enforcement of any |
|
federal statute, order, rule, or regulation or an international law |
|
described by Subsection (c). |
|
(e) Any citizen residing in the jurisdiction of an entity |
|
described by Subsection (b) may file a complaint with the attorney |
|
general if the citizen offers evidence to support an allegation |
|
that the entity has adopted a rule, order, ordinance, or policy |
|
under which the entity requires the enforcement of any federal |
|
statute, order, rule, or regulation or an international law |
|
described by Subsection (c) or that the entity, by consistent |
|
actions, requires the enforcement of any federal statute, order, |
|
rule, or regulation or an international law described by Subsection |
|
(c). The citizen must include with the complaint the evidence the |
|
citizen has that supports the complaint. |
|
(f) If the attorney general determines that a complaint |
|
filed under Subsection (e) against an entity described by |
|
Subsection (b) 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 entity is located to compel the entity |
|
to comply with Subsection (c). 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. |
|
(g) An appeal of a suit brought under Subsection (f) 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. |
|
(h) The attorney general shall defend any entity described |
|
by Subsection (b) that the federal government attempts to sue or |
|
prosecute 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, 2017. |