By: Shaheen H.B. No. 2083       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to expedited processing of certain applications for a   license to carry a handgun; waiving a fee.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 411.177, Government Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1) and   (b-2) to read as follows:          (b)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (b-1), the   [The] department shall, not later than the 60th day after the date   of the receipt by the director's designee of the completed   application materials:                (1)  issue the license;                (2)  notify the applicant in writing that the   application was denied:                      (A)  on the grounds that the applicant failed to   qualify under the criteria listed in Section 411.172;                      (B)  based on the affidavit of the director's   designee submitted to the department under Section 411.176(c); or                      (C)  based on the affidavit of the qualified   handgun instructor submitted to the department under Section   411.188(k); or                (3)  notify the applicant in writing that the   department is unable to make a determination regarding the issuance   or denial of a license to the applicant within the 60-day period   prescribed by this subsection and include in that notification an   explanation of the reason for the inability and an estimation of the   amount of time the department will need to make the determination.          (b-1)  If the applicant submits with the completed   application materials a copy of an active protective order issued   under Title 4, Family Code, or Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal   Procedure, or an active magistrate's emergency order of protection   under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, that indicates   that the applicant or another person in the applicant's family or   household is protected by the order, the department shall, without   charging an additional fee, expedite the application.  As soon as   practicable after the receipt of the materials under this   subsection, the department shall:                (1)  issue the license;                (2)  notify the applicant in writing that the   application was denied:                      (A)  on the grounds that the applicant failed to   qualify under the criteria listed in Section 411.172;                      (B)  based on the affidavit of the director's   designee submitted to the department under Section 411.176(c); or                      (C)  based on the affidavit of the qualified   handgun instructor submitted to the department under Section   411.188(k); or                (3)  notify the applicant in writing that the   department is unable to make a determination regarding the issuance   or denial of a license to the applicant within the period of three   business days as prescribed by this subsection and include in that   notification an explanation of the reason for the inability and an   estimation of the amount of time the department will need to make   the determination.          (b-2)  The director shall adopt policies for expedited   processing under Subsection (b-1).          (c)  Failure of the department to issue or deny a license for   a period of more than 30 days after the department is required to   act under Subsection (b) or (b-1) constitutes denial.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 411.1954 to read as follows:          Sec. 411.1954.  WAIVING OF FEES FOR CERTAIN APPLICANTS WITH   PROTECTIVE ORDER. Notwithstanding any other provision of this   subchapter, the fee for the issuance of an original, duplicate,   modified, or renewed license under this subchapter if the applicant   submits to the department a copy of an active protective order   issued under Title 4, Family Code, or Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal   Procedure, or an active magistrate's emergency order of protection   under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, that indicates   that the applicant or another person in the applicant's family or   household is protected by the order, shall be waived.          SECTION 3.  Section 411.177, Government Code, as amended by   this Act, applies only to an application for a license to carry a   handgun for which the completed application materials are received   by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas on or after   the effective date of this Act.     An application for a license to   carry a handgun for which the completed application materials were   received before the effective date of this Act is governed by the   law in effect on the date the materials were received, and the   former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 4.  Section 411.1954, Government Code, as added by   this Act, applies only to an application for an original,   duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun   submitted on or after the effective date of this Act.  An   application submitted before the effective date of this Act is   governed by the law in effect on the date the application was   submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that   purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.