Bill > HB253

This bill amends the Texas Penal Code to expand the offense of making a firearm accessible to a child. The key changes are: 1) the definition of "child" is changed from under 17 years old to under 18 years old, and 2) the requirement for the firearm to be "readily dischargeable" is removed, meaning the offense now applies to any firearm the child can access, regardless of its loaded status. The bill also clarifies that the offense applies to failing to secure the firearm or leaving it in a place the person knew or should have known the child could access. The changes only apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of September 1, 2023.