Bill Text: TX HB118 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to requiring a national instant criminal background check in connection with private firearm transfers; creating a criminal offense.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-08 - Left pending in committee [HB118 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB118-Introduced.html
  87R66 AJZ-D
 
  By: Ortega H.B. No. 118
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requiring a national instant criminal background check
  in connection with private firearm transfers; creating a criminal
  offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 6, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 205 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 205. REGULATION OF PRIVATE FIREARM TRANSFERS
  SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 205.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Firearm" has the meaning assigned by Section
  46.01, Penal Code.
               (2)  "Licensed firearms dealer" means a person who is
  licensed as a firearms dealer under 18 U.S.C. Section 923.
               (3)  "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by
  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure.
               SUBCHAPTER B. REGULATION OF PRIVATE FIREARM TRANSFERS
         Sec. 205.051.  REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE FIREARM TRANSFER;
  OFFENSE. (a)  A person may not sell or otherwise transfer a firearm
  to another person unless:
               (1)  the person is a licensed firearms dealer; or
               (2)  the person is not a licensed firearms dealer, and:
                     (A)  the person sells or transfers the firearm to
  a licensed firearms dealer, a peace officer, a law enforcement
  agency, or a person licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H,
  Chapter 411, Government Code; 
                     (B)  the transferor and the transferee are related
  within the third degree by consanguinity or within the second
  degree by affinity as determined under Chapter 573, Government
  Code; or
                     (C)  before delivering the firearm to the person
  to whom the firearm is being sold or transferred, the person selling
  or transferring the firearm requests that a licensed firearms
  dealer conduct, in the manner required by 18 U.S.C. Section 922, a
  national instant criminal background check to verify that the
  person to whom the firearm is being sold or transferred may lawfully
  possess a firearm.
         (b)  A person who violates this section commits an offense.
  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. Each firearm
  sold or transferred in violation of this section constitutes a
  separate offense.
         Sec. 205.052.  DUTIES OF LICENSED FIREARMS DEALER. (a) If a
  licensed firearms dealer receives a request to conduct a national
  instant criminal background check under Section 205.051(a)(2)(C),
  the dealer shall:
               (1)  in the manner required by 18 U.S.C. Section 922,
  conduct the criminal background check to verify that the person to
  whom the firearm is being sold or transferred may lawfully possess a
  firearm; and 
               (2)  notify the person who is selling or transferring
  the firearm of the results of the criminal background check.
         (b)  A licensed firearms dealer who performs a national
  instant criminal background check under this section may collect a
  reasonable fee from the person who requests the criminal background
  check.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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