Bill

HB 2359

84(R) - 2015
House Homeland Security & Public Safety
House Homeland Security & Public Safety

Vote Recommendation

Yes
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Dwayne Bohac

Bill Caption

Relating to prohibiting the Department of Public Safety from responding to bulk requests from the federal government for lists of individuals licensed to carry a concealed handgun; creating a criminal offense.

Fiscal Notes

It is assumed any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within current resources.

Bill Analysis

HB 2359 would amend the Occupations Code to proscribe, to the extent allowable by federal law, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) from providing a list of individuals licensed to carry a concealed handgun in response to a federal criminal justice agency's submission of a bulk request for such information. 

HB 2359 would also require a state or federal criminal justice agency to secure a subpoena in order for DPS to disclose certain information on an individual licensed to carry a concealed handgun such as: an individual ’s name, date of birth, gender, race, zip code, telephone number, e-mail address, and Internet website address. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

HB 2359 would allow DPS to help protect the privacy rights of Texans from broad federal requests for information on concealed handgun owners. This bill is a step in the right direction for Texas to protect its citizens' constitutional rights from invasive federal powers. We support this legislation.