85R3568 JSC-F
 
  By: Pickett H.B. No. 873
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to prohibiting certain establishments serving the public
  from restricting a peace officer or special investigator from
  carrying a weapon on the premises.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 2.1305 to read as follows:
         Art. 2.1305.  CARRYING WEAPON ON CERTAIN PREMISES.  (a)  An
  establishment serving the public may not prohibit or otherwise
  restrict a peace officer or special investigator from carrying on
  the establishment's premises a weapon that the peace officer or
  special investigator is otherwise authorized to carry, regardless
  of whether the peace officer or special investigator is engaged in
  the actual discharge of the officer's or investigator's duties
  while carrying the weapon.
         (b)  For purposes of this article:
               (1)  "Establishment serving the public" means:
                     (A)  a hotel, motel, or other place of lodging;
                     (B)  a restaurant or other place where food is
  offered for sale to the public;
                     (C)  a retail business or other commercial
  establishment or an office building to which the general public is
  invited;
                     (D)  a sports venue; and
                     (E)  any other place of public accommodation,
  amusement, convenience, or resort to which the general public or
  any classification of persons from the general public is regularly,
  normally, or customarily invited.
               (2)  "Sports venue" means an arena, coliseum, stadium,
  or other type of area or facility that is primarily used or is
  planned for primary use for one or more professional or amateur
  sports or athletics events and for which a fee is charged or is
  planned to be charged for admission to the sports or athletics
  events, other than occasional civic, charitable, or promotional
  events.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to conduct that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act.
  Conduct that occurs before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the conduct occurred, and
  the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.