House Bill No. 3924 amends the Education Code to allow school marshals, appointed by school district boards or governing bodies of open-enrollment charter schools, to openly carry handguns while in uniform, in addition to the previously allowed concealed carry. The bill specifies that school marshals may carry a concealed handgun, openly carry a handgun if they are in uniform, or possess a handgun in a locked and secured location on school premises. The written regulations governing these actions must also stipulate that any handgun carried or possessed by a school marshal must be loaded only with frangible duty ammunition approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

The bill further extends these provisions to school marshals at private schools and public junior colleges, ensuring consistency across educational institutions. It clarifies that the written regulations must not require school marshals to store their handguns in locked containers while on duty. The changes will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, and the bill will become effective immediately if it receives a two-thirds majority vote in both houses; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 37.0811, Education Code 37.0813, Education Code 51.220 (Education Code 51, Education Code 37)
House Committee Report: Education Code 37.0811, Education Code 37.0813, Education Code 51.220 (Education Code 51, Education Code 37)