By: Slaton	H.B. No. 4554

	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.  Section 411.2031, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(a)  For purposes of this section:
	(1)  "Campus" means all land and buildings owned or
	leased by an institution of higher education or private or
	independent institution of higher education.
	(2)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or
	independent institution of higher education" have the meanings
	assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
	(3)  "Premises" has the meaning assigned by Section
	46.03, Penal Code.
	(b)  A person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from
	carrying a handgun [license holder] may carry a [concealed] handgun
	in a concealed manner [on or about the license holder's person]
	while the person [license holder] is on the campus of an institution
	of higher education or private or independent institution of higher
	education in this state.
	(c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), (d-1), or (e), an
	institution of higher education or private or independent
	institution of higher education in this state may not adopt any
	rule, regulation, or other provision prohibiting a person who is
	not otherwise prohibited by law from carrying a handgun [license
	holders] from carrying a handgun [handguns] on the campus of the
	institution.
	(d)  An institution of higher education or private or
	independent institution of higher education in this state may
	establish rules, regulations, or other provisions concerning the
	storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential facilities
	that are owned or leased and operated by the institution and located
	on the campus of the institution.
	(d-1)  After consulting with students, staff, and faculty of
	the institution regarding the nature of the student population,
	specific safety considerations, and the uniqueness of the campus
	environment, the president or other chief executive officer of an
	institution of higher education in this state shall establish
	reasonable rules, regulations, or other provisions regarding the
	carrying of concealed handguns [by license holders] on the campus
	of the institution or on premises located on the campus of the
	institution. The president or officer may not establish provisions
	that generally prohibit or have the effect of generally prohibiting
	a person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from carrying a
	handgun [license holders] from carrying concealed handguns on the
	campus of the institution. The president or officer may amend the
	provisions as necessary for campus safety. The provisions take
	effect as determined by the president or officer unless
	subsequently amended by the board of regents or other governing
	board under Subsection (d-2). The institution must give effective
	notice under Section 30.06, Penal Code, with respect to any portion
	of a premises that is subject to provisions established by the
	institution under this subsection [on which license holders may not
	carry].
	(d-2)  Not later than the 90th day after the date that the
	rules, regulations, or other provisions are established as
	described by Subsection (d-1), the board of regents or other
	governing board of the institution of higher education shall review
	the provisions. The board of regents or other governing board may,
	by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the board, amend wholly or
	partly the provisions established under Subsection (d-1). If
	amended under this subsection, the provisions are considered to be
	those of the institution as established under Subsection (d-1).
	(d-3)  An institution of higher education shall widely
	distribute the rules, regulations, or other provisions described by
	Subsection (d-1) to the institution's students, staff, and faculty,
	including by prominently publishing the provisions on the
	institution's Internet website.
	(d-4)  Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year,
	each institution of higher education in this state shall submit a
	report to the legislature and to the standing committees of the
	legislature with jurisdiction over the implementation and
	continuation of this section that:
	(1)  describes its rules, regulations, or other
	provisions regarding the carrying of concealed handguns on the
	campus of the institution; and
	(2)  explains the reasons the institution has
	established those provisions.
	(e)  A private or independent institution of higher
	education in this state, after consulting with students, staff, and
	faculty of the institution, may establish rules, regulations, or
	other provisions prohibiting a person, including a person who is
	not otherwise prohibited by law from carrying a handgun, [license
	holders] from carrying a handgun [handguns] on the campus of the
	institution, any grounds or building on which an activity sponsored
	by the institution is being conducted, or a passenger
	transportation vehicle owned by the institution.
	SECTION 2.  Section 411.2032, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(a)  For purposes of this section:
	(1)  "Campus" means all land and buildings owned or
	leased by an institution of higher education or private or
	independent institution of higher education.
	(2)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or
	independent institution of higher education" have the meanings
	assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
	(b)  An institution of higher education or private or
	independent institution of higher education in this state may not
	adopt or enforce any rule, regulation, or other provision or take
	any other action, including posting notice under Section 30.06 or
	30.07, Penal Code, prohibiting or placing restrictions on the
	storage or transportation of a firearm or ammunition in a locked,
	privately owned or leased motor vehicle by a person, including a
	student enrolled at that institution, who is not otherwise
	prohibited by law from carrying [holds a license to carry a handgun
	under this subchapter and lawfully possesses] the firearm or
	ammunition:
	(1)  on a street or driveway located on the campus of
	the institution; or
	(2)  in a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking
	area located on the campus of the institution.
	SECTION 3.  Sections 46.03(a), (a-2), (a-3), and (a-4),
	Penal Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally,
	knowingly, or recklessly possesses or goes with a firearm,
	location-restricted knife, club, or prohibited weapon listed in
	Section 46.05(a):
	(1)  on the physical premises of a school or
	educational institution, any grounds or building on which an
	activity sponsored by a school or educational institution is being
	conducted, or a passenger transportation vehicle of a school or
	educational institution, whether the school or educational
	institution is public or private, unless:
	(A)  pursuant to written regulations or written
	authorization of the institution; or
	(B)  the person possesses or goes with a concealed
	handgun that the person is not otherwise prohibited by law from
	carrying [licensed to carry under Subchapter H, Chapter 411,
	Government Code], and no other weapon to which this section
	applies, on the premises of an institution of higher education or
	private or independent institution of higher education, on any
	grounds or building on which an activity sponsored by the
	institution is being conducted, or in a passenger transportation
	vehicle of the institution;
	(2)  on the premises of a polling place on the day of an
	election or while early voting is in progress;
	(3)  on the premises of any government court or offices
	utilized by the court, unless pursuant to written regulations or
	written authorization of the court;
	(4)  on the premises of a racetrack;
	(5)  in or into a secured area of an airport;
	(6)  within 1,000 feet of premises the location of
	which is designated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a
	place of execution under Article 43.19, Code of Criminal Procedure,
	on a day that a sentence of death is set to be imposed on the
	designated premises and the person received notice that:
	(A)  going within 1,000 feet of the premises with
	a weapon listed under this subsection was prohibited; or
	(B)  possessing a weapon listed under this
	subsection within 1,000 feet of the premises was prohibited;
	(7)  on the premises of a business that has a permit or
	license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic
	Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its
	income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for
	on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic
	Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code;
	(8)  on the premises where a high school, collegiate,
	or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking
	place, unless the person is a participant in the event and a
	firearm, location-restricted knife, club, or prohibited weapon
	listed in Section 46.05(a) is used in the event;
	(9)  on the premises of a correctional facility;
	(10)  on the premises of a civil commitment facility;
	(11)  on the premises of a hospital licensed under
	Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing
	facility licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless
	the person has written authorization of the hospital or nursing
	facility administration, as appropriate;
	(12)  on the premises of a mental hospital, as defined
	by Section 571.003, Health and Safety Code, unless the person has
	written authorization of the mental hospital administration;
	(13)  in an amusement park; or
	(14)  in the room or rooms where a meeting of a
	governmental entity is held, if the meeting is an open meeting
	subject to Chapter 551, Government Code, and if the entity provided
	notice as required by that chapter.
	(a-2)  Notwithstanding Section 46.02(a-5), a person [license
	holder] commits an offense if the person [license holder] carries a
	partially or wholly visible handgun, regardless of whether the
	handgun is holstered, [on or about the license holder's person
	under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,]
	and intentionally or knowingly displays the handgun in plain view
	of another person:
	(1)  on the premises of an institution of higher
	education or private or independent institution of higher
	education; or
	(2)  on any public or private driveway, street,
	sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking
	area of an institution of higher education or private or
	independent institution of higher education.
	(a-3)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 46.02(a-5),
	a person [license holder] commits an offense if the person [license
	holder] carries a handgun on the campus of a private or independent
	institution of higher education in this state that has established
	rules, regulations, or other provisions prohibiting persons
	[license holders] from carrying handguns pursuant to Section
	411.2031(e), Government Code, or on the grounds or building on
	which an activity sponsored by such an institution is being
	conducted, or in a passenger transportation vehicle of such an
	institution, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed,
	provided the institution gives effective notice under Section
	30.06.
	(a-4)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 46.02(a-5),
	a person [license holder] commits an offense if the person [license
	holder] intentionally carries a concealed handgun on a portion of a
	premises located on the campus of an institution of higher
	education in this state on which the carrying of a concealed handgun
	is prohibited by rules, regulations, or other provisions
	established under Section 411.2031(d-1), Government Code, provided
	the institution gives effective notice under Section 30.06 with
	respect to that portion.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.