| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote Yes; Amend | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Positive |
Relating to expedited processing of certain applications for a license to carry a handgun; waiving a fee.
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time due to lack of information
regarding the number of applicants for License to Carry (LTC) a handgun to which the
provisions of this bill would apply.
SB 1691 would require the Department of Public Safety to expedite an application for a license to carry a handgun if the applicant submits an active protective order or emergency order of protection with the application materials. Also, this bill would waive any fee required for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license if the applicant submits a copy of the protective order or emergency order of protection.
The Department of Public Safety is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the Department of Public Safety may, but is not
required to, implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
purpose.
Texas Action recommends supporting SB 1691 because it promotes individual liberty and limited government. This bill would help cut through government red tape by expediting a license to carry a handgun when an individual may need it most. However, we recommend eliminating the application fee to carry a handgun altogether, rather than carving out a benefit for a particular group. Numerous bills this legislative session have provided for a fee waiver, implicitly recognizing that this fee represents a barrier to obtaining a license to carry. Therefore, it would be more efficient and fair to eliminate the fee altogether.