By Van de Putte                                       S.B. No. 1713
         77R9233 T                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the carrying of weapons by peace officers and by
 1-3     special investigators.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by amending
 1-6     Subsection (a) thereof to read as follows:
 1-7           "Sec. 46.15.  NONAPPLICABILITY. (a)  Sections 46.02 and 46.03
 1-8     do not apply to:
 1-9                 (1)  peace officers--of Texas or of any other state of
1-10     the United States of America--or to special investigators, and
1-11     neither section prohibits such [a] peace officer, or special
1-12     investigator, from carrying a weapon in this state or into any
1-13     establishment within this state serving the public, regardless of
1-14     whether the peace officer, or special investigator, is engaged in
1-15     the actual discharge of the peace officer's, or special
1-16     investigator's, duties while carrying the weapon;"
1-17           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-18     a vote of at least two-thirds of all members elected to each house,
1-19     as provided by Article III, Section 39, Texas Constitution.  If
1-20     this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect,
1-21     then this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.