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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibiting the enforcement of certain federal laws; |
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creating a criminal offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The Legislature of the State of Texas finds that: |
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(1) The Tenth Amendment to the United States |
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Constitution reserves to the states and the people all powers not |
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granted to the federal government elsewhere in the constitution, as |
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those powers were understood at the time Texas was admitted to |
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statehood in 1845. The guaranty of those powers is a matter of |
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contract between the state and people of Texas and the United States |
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dating from the time Texas became a state. |
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(2) The Ninth Amendment to the United States |
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Constitution guarantees to the people rights not enumerated in the |
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constitution, as those rights were understood at the time Texas |
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became a state. The guaranty of those rights is a matter of |
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contract between the state and people of Texas and the United States |
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dating from the time Texas became a state. |
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(3) The Second Amendment to the United States |
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Constitution guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear |
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arms, as that right was understood at the time Texas became a state. |
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The guaranty of that right is a matter of contract between the state |
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and people of Texas and the United States dating from the time Texas |
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became a state. |
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(4) The First Amendment to the United States |
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Constitution guarantees to the people rights concerning religion, |
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expression, assembly, and petition, as those rights were understood |
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at the time Texas became a state. The guaranty of those rights is a |
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matter of contract between the state and people of Texas and the |
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United States dating from the time Texas became a state. |
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(5) Section 23, Article I, Texas Constitution, secures |
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to Texas citizens the right to keep and bear arms. That |
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constitutional protection is unchanged from the date the |
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constitution was adopted in 1876. |
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SECTION 2. Title 9, Penal Code, is amended by adding Chapter |
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44 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 44. ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LAWS PROHIBITED |
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Sec. 44.01. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Firearm" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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46.01. |
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(2) "Firearm accessory" means an item that is used in |
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conjunction with or mounted on a firearm but is not essential to the |
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basic function of the firearm. The term includes a detachable |
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firearm magazine. |
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Sec. 44.02. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICY REGARDING |
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ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL LAWS. (a) This section applies to: |
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(1) the State of Texas, including an agency, |
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department, commission, bureau, board, office, council, court, or |
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other entity that is in any branch of state government and that is |
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created by the constitution or a statute of this state, including a |
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university system or a system of higher education; |
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(2) the governing body of a municipality, county, or |
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special district or authority; |
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(3) an officer, employee, or other body that is part of |
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a municipality, county, or special district or authority, including |
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a sheriff, municipal police department, municipal attorney, or |
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county attorney; and |
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(4) a district attorney or criminal district attorney. |
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(b) An entity described by Subsection (a) may not adopt a |
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rule, order, ordinance, or policy under which the entity enforces, |
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or, by consistent actions, allows the enforcement of, a federal |
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statute, order, rule, or regulation enacted on or after January 1, |
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2019, that imposes a prohibition, restriction, or other regulation |
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that does not exist under the laws of this state and that purports |
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to: |
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(1) regulate a firearm, firearm accessory, or firearm |
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ammunition; |
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(2) establish a religion or prohibit the free exercise |
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of a religion; |
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(3) abridge the freedom of speech or of the press; |
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(4) abridge the right of the people to peaceably |
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assemble; or |
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(5) abridge the right of the people to petition the |
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government for a redress of grievances. |
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(c) No entity described by Subsection (a) and no person |
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employed by or otherwise under the direction or control of the |
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entity may enforce or attempt to enforce any federal statute, |
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order, rule, or regulation described by Subsection (b). |
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(d) An entity described by Subsection (a) may not receive |
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state grant funds if the entity adopts a rule, order, ordinance, or |
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policy under which the entity enforces any federal laws described |
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by Subsection (b) or, by consistent actions, allows the enforcement |
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of any federal laws described by Subsection (b). State grant funds |
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for the entity shall be denied for the fiscal year following the |
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year in which a final judicial determination in an action brought |
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under this section is made that the entity has violated Subsection |
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(b). |
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(e) Any citizen residing in the jurisdiction of an entity |
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described by Subsection (a) may file a complaint with the attorney |
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general if the citizen offers evidence to support an allegation |
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that the entity has adopted a rule, order, ordinance, or policy |
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under which the entity enforces the federal laws described by |
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Subsection (b) or that the entity, by consistent actions, allows |
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the enforcement of any laws described by Subsection (b). The |
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citizen must include with the complaint the evidence the citizen |
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has that supports the complaint. |
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(f) If the attorney general determines that a complaint |
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filed under Subsection (e) against an entity described by |
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Subsection (a) is valid, the attorney general may file a petition |
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for a writ of mandamus or apply for other appropriate equitable |
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relief in a district court in Travis County or in a county in which |
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the principal office of an entity described by Subsection (a) is |
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located to compel the entity that adopts a rule, order, ordinance, |
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or policy under which the local entity enforces the laws described |
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by Subsection (b), or that, by consistent actions, allows the |
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enforcement of the laws described by Subsection (b) to comply with |
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this section. The attorney general may recover reasonable expenses |
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incurred in obtaining relief under this subsection, including court |
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costs, reasonable attorney's fees, investigative costs, witness |
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fees, and deposition costs. |
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(g) An appeal of a suit brought under Subsection (f) is |
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governed by the procedures for accelerated appeals in civil cases |
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under the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. The appellate court |
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shall render its final order or judgment with the least possible |
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delay. |
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(h) A person commits an offense if, in the person's official |
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capacity as an officer of an entity described by Subsection (a), or |
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as a person employed by or otherwise under the direction or control |
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of the entity, or under color of law, knowingly enforces or attempts |
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to enforce any federal statute, order, rule, or regulation |
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described by Subsection (b). An offense under this subsection is a |
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Class A misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |