HBA-AMW H.B. 600 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 600
By: Goodman
Criminal Jurisprudence
3/4/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1998, the Texas Department of Human Services estimated that nearly
825,000 women were the victims of family violence.  When a gun is present,
the chance that a domestic violence incident will end in serious injury or
murder increases.  In this state, many domestic violence victims have been
shot by spouses or intimate partners and several peace officers have been
killed by handguns while responding to domestic violence calls.  Although
federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm while a person is subject
to a protective order, Texas law currently contains no such prohibition.
House Bill 600 prohibits a person from possessing a firearm while an active
protective order is directed to the person. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 600 amends the Penal Code to provide that a person commits a
state jail felony if the person possesses a firearm while an active
protective order is directed to the person. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.