AUSTIN -- Properly licensed Texans would be allowed to keep firearms and ammunition in their locked cars while at work, under a bill that won final legislative approval Friday and was sent to Gov. Rick Perry for his signature.
State law already allows Texans to carry concealed handguns in their vehicle, but some employers ban firearms on all of their property, including parking lots and garages. Under the bill approved by the Senate, employers could still ban firearms from business premises.School parking lots, federal property and chemical and oil refineries would be exempt.It's likely to be the biggest win for gun-rights advocates this session, in which efforts to allow concealed handguns at colleges were derailed. Since 1995, Texans have been able to get licenses to carry concealed handguns in most places except at bars, churches, sporting events and other venues.The bill was among more than 100 that received final passage in the Texas House or Senate on Friday during a productive day of work for lawmakers while budget negotiations and talk of Perry's possible presidential aspirations took place behind the scenes.Perry can sign or veto the bills or let them become law without his signature.Other bills getting final approval and sent to Perry on Friday included:Rape kits: Under Senate Bill 1636, local law enforcement agencies would have to pursue testing their backlogs of untested rape kits, some of which may be years old, and test newly collected rape kits faster as long as funds are available."In a session that has been particularly bleak for Texas women, the passage of this bill will give victims of sexual assault some peace of mind, knowing that these evidence kits will not just sit on a shelf collecting dust," said Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, the bill's author. "While testing will not undo a horrific event, it could lead many of these cases one step closer to justice."Human trafficking: Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, authored House Bill 2329, which would make it easier for human trafficking victims to apply for a protective order against their traffickers as well as allow them a pseudonym in place of their name on public documents to protect their privacy.Zedler said he hopes the bill would make victims more willing to testify against traffickers and lead to more convictions. "What we wanted to do is give these people the same protection that other victims, like victims of domestic violence, get," Zedler said.Groundwater: Landowners would unequivocally own the groundwater beneath their land under Senate Bill 332, which the Senate passed. The measure is a response to concern by landowners statewide that groundwater conservation districts would implement heavy-handed restrictions on how much groundwater people could use from their own land.Child care: The state would beef up its regulation of child-care facilities under Senate Bill 1178. Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, filed the measure in response to fraud cases involving such facilities. If it became law, state officials could revoke the license of facilities that don't submit in a timely manner to criminal background checks of all employees.Expunged records: The bill by Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, would expand the types of circumstances in which a person could request that records related to an arrest be expunged. House Bill 351 is expected to make it easer for convicted people who are later declared innocent, as well as those who are charged but not convicted, to have their records expunged.Lyme disease: This measure hits close to home for Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, who has had Lyme disease since 1990. House Bill 2975 would call on the Texas Medical Board and the Texas Board of Nursing to include Lyme disease treatment programs in the lineup of continuing-education programs that medical professionals must take periodically to maintain their medical license. The bill would also allow physicians to defend themselves from disciplinary action by demonstrating knowledge of the latest science.Sexting: Texas teenagers 17 or younger could be charged with a misdemeanor instead of a felony if they are caught "sexting." Sexting includes teens using a mobile phone to send sexually explicit images of themselves or others. Current law says anyone who transmits an explicit image of a teen can face felony charges of possession or trafficking in child pornography. If Perry signs the change into law, teens caught sexting will face a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine.Voter IDMost Republican lawmakers began the day standing in a huddle behind Perry as he ceremoniously signed a bill requiring Texas voters to show photo identification at polls.Though they needed several legislative sessions to pass the measure over persistent Democratic criticism, Republican lawmakers framed the measure as a simple and reasonable requirement of voters. Perry compared getting a photo ID to "cashing a check at the HEB" or applying for a library card. Critics say it will disenfranchise poor people and minorities who are less likely to have photo identification.Rep. Patricia Harless, R-Spring, the House sponsor of the bill, singled out Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, for getting the bill through a daylong House debate. "Without her, we would have never gotten through the floor debate because she helped navigate 80-plus amendments," Harless said.The bill is scheduled to go into effect in time for the 2012 election cycle.This report includes material from The Associated Press.Aman Batheja, 817-390-7695Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
