Bill > HB2250

This bill modifies Texas law regarding criminal liability for making a firearm accessible to a child by updating several key definitions and provisions. The bill changes the definition of "child" from a person younger than 17 to a person younger than 18 years old, and revises the meaning of "secure" to include more specific requirements for storing firearms, such as keeping an unloaded firearm in a properly sealed locked container or rendering it temporarily inoperable with a trigger lock. The legislation maintains that a person can be criminally charged if a child gains access to a firearm through criminal negligence, either by failing to secure the firearm or leaving it in a place where a child could predictably access it. The bill also preserves certain affirmative defenses to prosecution, including supervised access for hunting or sporting purposes, access gained through property violation, and access during agricultural enterprise activities. The changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and offenses prior to that date will be governed by the previous legal framework.

Military Affairs and Security

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2250