The bill, H.B. No. 161, amends the definition of "federal judge" in Section 411.201(a)(2) of the Government Code to include additional categories of judges eligible for a license to carry a handgun. Specifically, it adds judges of the United States immigration court to the existing list, which already includes judges from the United States courts of appeals, district courts, and bankruptcy courts, while also retaining magistrate judges of the United States district court. The language that previously indicated the exclusion of magistrate judges has been removed.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the changes will only apply to applications for handgun carry licenses submitted on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set to take effect 91 days after the conclusion of the legislative session. Applications submitted prior to this date will continue to be governed by the existing law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 411.201 (Government Code 411)