The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Took Positions on These Bills

For the 2021 Legislative Session in Texas:

HB 760 | HB 52 | HB 245 | HB 1765 These bills makes it an offense for a person to sell a firearm at a gun show without conducting a criminal background check and/or maintaining a record of sale. A gun show promoter commits a Class A misdemeanor, if with criminal negligence, the promoter permits the sale of a firearm without a criminal background check; failing to give 30 days notice of gun show to local law enforcement; failing to prominently post notice regarding criminal background checks; failing to arrange for a dealer at gun show to conduct a criminal background check. It is an exception if the person to whom the firearm is sold is a peace officer or is licensed to carry. The TCCB supports this bill to require criminal background checks for at gun shows.

HB 2878 | SB 1742 This bill allows for certain persons to obtain an extreme risk protective order if a court finds that there is reasonable cause to believe that an individual poses an "immediate and present danger of causing bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death" to any person because of access to firearms. The TCCB supports this bill to prevent gun violence.

HB 2891 This bill would establish the Texas Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS) with cooperation of various state agencies to alert Texans to an imminent threat to public health or safety. This bill sets out the administration and activation of TEAMS and sets out a duty to recruit public and commercial television and radio broadcasters, mobile telephone service providers, private commercial entities, state or local government entities, the public, and other appropriate persons to assist in developing and implement the alert management system. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce harm to the public from gun violence and other safety threats. 

HB 2892 This bill would establish the Texas Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS) with cooperation of various state agencies to alert Texans to an imminent threat to public health or safety. On request of a state elected official and a state agency official or law enforcement agency, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management is required to immediately investigate the need to activate the statewide or regional alert and notify appropriate participants in the alert system. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce harm to the public from gun violence and other safety threats.

HB 4259 This bill requires DPS to post on its website a printable brochure developed in cooperation with HHSC that includes info on firearm violence and suicide prevention and requires a licensed firearms dealer to provide a copy of the brochure to a person whom a firearm is being sold or transferred unless the transferee has a license to carry a handgun. The TCCB supports this bill to raise awareness of gun violence and suicide prevention.

SB 60 This bill exempts gun cases, gun safes, safety locks, trigger locks, firearm safety training manuals and other item designed to ensure the safe handling or storage of a firearm from the sales taxes. The TCCB supports this bill to improve gun safety.

SB 313 |  HB 524 This bill allows a sales and use tax exemption for firearm safety equipment such as a gun safe, barrel lock, trigger lock, or another item designed to ensure the safe handling or storage of a firearm. The TCCB supports this bill to improve gun safety.

SB 893 This bill allows a school district, open-enrollment charter school, or private school to verify with DPS that a person holds a valid license to carry a concealed handgun before authorizing a person to carry a concealed handgun on school premises. The TCCB supports this bill to promote safety in schools and reduce gun violence.

SB 958 | HB 103 This bill establishes the Texas Active Shooter Alert System by the Department of Public Safety to be activated on report of an active shooter. This Act may be cited as the "Leilah Hernandez Act." The TCCB supports this bill to reduce the impacts of gun violence.