By: Capriglione, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Springer)	H.B. No. 1920
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2021;
	May 3, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on State
	Affairs; May 19, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:
	Yeas 8, Nays 1; May 19, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the offense of possessing a weapon in a secured area of
	an airport.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 46.03(c)(3), Penal Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(3)  "Secured area" means an area of an airport
	terminal building to which access is controlled by the inspection
	of persons and property under federal law, or an aircraft parking
	area that is used by common carriers in air transportation but not
	by general aviation and to which access is controlled under federal
	law. The term does not include a baggage claim area, a motor
	vehicle parking area used by passengers, employees, or persons
	awaiting an arrival, or an area used by the public to pick up or drop
	off passengers or employees.
	SECTION 2.  Section 46.03(e), Penal Code, is amended to read
	as follows:
	(e)  It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(5)
	that the actor:
	(1)  checked all firearms as baggage in accordance with
	federal or state law or regulations before entering a secured area;
	or
	(2)  was authorized by a federal agency or the airport
	operator to possess a firearm in a secured area.
	SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
	to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
	An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
	governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
	purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
	effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
	before that date.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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