Bill > HB547

This bill creates new requirements for reporting lost or stolen firearms in Texas. Under the new law, when a firearm owner reports a lost or stolen firearm to a peace officer, the officer must then report this information to the Texas Department of Public Safety (the "department"), including the owner's name, details about the firearm, and the date the owner discovered the firearm was missing. The department is then required to forward these reports to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a database maintained by the FBI. Additionally, the bill establishes a new criminal offense where firearm owners must report a lost or stolen firearm within 24 hours of becoming aware of the loss or theft. Failing to do so is initially a Class C misdemeanor, but becomes a Class B misdemeanor if the person has a previous conviction for the same offense. The bill specifies that if the conduct could also constitute another criminal offense, the person could potentially be prosecuted under multiple sections of the law. This legislation will take effect on September 1, 2025, and aims to improve tracking of lost and stolen firearms and encourage more timely reporting by gun owners.