H.B. No. 3706
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to a license to carry a handgun for active and retired
  railroad peace officers and for special rangers of the Texas and
  Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 411.199(a), (b), and (c), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The following peace officers may apply for a license
  issued under this subchapter at any time after retirement:
               (1)  a [A] person who is licensed as a peace officer
  under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, and who has been employed
  full-time as a peace officer by a law enforcement agency;
               (2)  a railroad peace officer appointed by the director
  under Article 2.121, Code of Criminal Procedure, who holds a
  certificate of authority issued by the director under that article
  and a peace officer license issued by the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement; or
               (3)  a special ranger of the Texas and Southwestern
  Cattle Raisers Association appointed by the director under Article
  2.125, Code of Criminal Procedure, who holds a certificate of
  authority issued by the director under that article and a peace
  officer license issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
  [may apply for a license under this subchapter at any time after
  retirement].
         (b)  The person shall submit two complete sets of legible and
  classifiable fingerprints and a sworn statement from the head of
  the law enforcement agency that employed [employing] the applicant
  or other former employer of the applicant, as applicable. A head of
  a law enforcement agency or other former employer may not refuse to
  issue a statement under this subsection. If the applicant alleges
  that the statement is untrue, the department shall investigate the
  validity of the statement. The statement must include:
               (1)  the name and rank of the applicant;
               (2)  the status of the applicant before retirement;
               (3)  whether [or not] the applicant was accused of
  misconduct at the time of the retirement;
               (4)  the physical and mental condition of the
  applicant;
               (5)  the type of weapons the applicant had demonstrated
  proficiency with during the last year of employment;
               (6)  whether the applicant would be eligible for
  reemployment with the agency or employer, and if not, the reasons
  the applicant is not eligible; and
               (7)  a recommendation from the agency head or the
  employer regarding the issuance of a license under this subchapter.
         (c)  The department may issue a license issued under this
  subchapter to an applicant under this section if the applicant is
  honorably retired and physically and emotionally fit to possess a
  handgun. In this subsection, "honorably retired" means the
  applicant:
               (1)  did not retire in lieu of any disciplinary action;
               (2)  was eligible to retire from the law enforcement
  agency or other former employer or was ineligible to retire only as
  a result of an injury received in the course of the applicant's
  employment [with the agency]; and
               (3)  for a peace officer described by Subsection
  (a)(1), is entitled to receive a pension or annuity for service as a
  law enforcement officer or is not entitled to receive a pension or
  annuity only because the law enforcement agency that employed the
  applicant does not offer a pension or annuity to its employees.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 411.1991(a), (a-1), and (b-1),
  Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person may apply for a license issued under this
  subchapter if the person [who] is:
               (1)  licensed as a peace officer under Chapter 1701,
  Occupations Code, and employed as a peace officer by a law
  enforcement agency;
               (2)  a railroad peace officer appointed by the director
  under Article 2.121, Code of Criminal Procedure, who holds a
  certificate of authority issued by the director under that article
  and a peace officer license issued by the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement;
               (3)  a special ranger of the Texas and Southwestern
  Cattle Raisers Association appointed by the director under Article
  2.125, Code of Criminal Procedure, who holds a certificate of
  authority issued by the director under that article and a peace
  officer license issued by the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement;[,] or
               (4)  [who is] a member of the Texas military forces,
  excluding Texas State Guard members who are serving in the Texas
  Legislature[, may apply for a license under this subchapter].
         (a-1)  An applicant who is a peace officer described by
  Subsection (a)(1), (2), or (3) shall submit to the department:
               (1)  the name and rank of the applicant; and
               (2)  a current copy of the applicant's [peace officer]
  license issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and
  evidence of employment as a peace officer, railroad peace officer,
  or special ranger, as applicable.
         (b-1)  An applicant under this section who is a peace officer
  described by Subsection (a)(1), (2), or (3) and who complies with
  Subsection (a-1) and the other requirements of this subchapter is
  not required to complete the handgun proficiency course described
  by Section 411.188 to obtain a license issued under this
  subchapter.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3706 was passed by the House on April
  26, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 3, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3706 was passed by the Senate on May
  22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor