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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the offense of possessing a weapon in a secured area of |
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an airport. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 46.03(c)(3), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(3) "Secured area" means an area: |
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(A) of an airport terminal building or of an |
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adjacent aircraft parking area used by common carriers in air |
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transportation but not used by general aviation; and |
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(B) to which access is controlled [by the
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inspection of persons and property] under federal law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 46.03(e), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(e) It is an exception to the application of [a defense to
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prosecution under] Subsection (a)(5) that the actor: |
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(1) checked all firearms as baggage in accordance with |
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federal or state law or regulations before entering a secured area; |
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or |
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(2) was authorized by a federal agency to possess a |
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firearm in a secured area. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |