The Texas Senate could vote on Senate Bill 321 as early as this Monday, March 14. Introduced by state Senator Glenn Hegar (R-Katy), SB 321 is an NRA-backed bill that would prevent employers from enacting and enforcing policies to prohibit employees from storing firearms in their locked private motor vehicles while parked at work. Texas gun owners should not have to worry about being fired for lawfully storing a firearm in their personal vehicle should they choose to carry a handgun for self-defense during their daily commutes or to transport firearms to and from their hunting leases or local shooting ranges.

Big business lobbyists may try to offer amendments to SB 321 on the Senate floor that would "carve out" particular industry sectors or require employees to notify their employers of their intent to lawfully transport and store firearms in their cars and trucks. Your state Senator needs to hear from you! Please contact your state Senator first thing on Monday and urge him or her to support SB 321 and to oppose any industry carve-out or notice-requirement amendments. Click here to locate your state Senator and find their contact information.

Also, a vote on House Bill 681, the House companion bill to SB 321 sponsored by state Representative Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington), was delayed until this Monday, March 14 in the House Business & Industry Committee. Please continue calling and e-mailing committee members in support of HB 681 - their contact information can be found by clicking here.

Lastly, on Wednesday, March 16, the House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety will consider House Bill 750, NRA-backed legislation sponsored by state Representative Joe Driver (R-Garland) that would allow Texas Concealed Handgun Licensees to protect themselves on public college and university campuses. The committee will also consider House Bill 86, a bill similar to HB 750 filed by state Representative David Simpson (R-Longview); House Bill 1167, a measure authored by state Representative Van Taylor (R-Plano) that would allow Texas Concealed Handgun Licensees (CHLs) to carry on community college and technical school campuses; and House Bill 1356, legislation sponsored by state Representative Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) that would allow Texas CHLs who are faculty, staff or employees of Texas colleges and universities to carry on campus.

Please contact committee members and urge them to support the following bills: HB 750, HB 86, HB 1167 and HB 1356. Click here for their contact information.

Thanks to your phone calls and e-mails, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 321 by a 30 to 1 vote today with no gutting amendments.  Introduced by state Senator Glenn Hegar (R-Katy), SB 321 is an NRA-backed bill that would prevent employers from enacting and enforcing policies to prohibit employees from storing firearms in their locked private motor vehicles while parked at work. Texas gun owners should not have to worry about being fired for lawfully storing a firearm in their personal vehicle should they choose to carry a handgun for self-defense during their daily commutes or to transport firearms to and from their hunting leases or local shooting ranges.

State Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) offered a floor amendment which would have required employees of companies employing more than 10,000 workers at one location to notify their employer of their desire to store firearms in their cars while parked at work.  During the debate, it was made clear that the only company who would have benefitted from this "mandatory notice provision" was USAA, based in her district in San Antonio .  Ironically, USAA serves insurance clients who are military personnel or dependents of such!  The amendment was tabled by a 22 to 8 vote.  After that overwhelming outcome, no other amendments were offered which would have exempted certain industry sectors from the bill, namely, defense contractors such as Raytheon, Boeing, Bell Helicopter, BAE Systems, Lockheed and L-3, who were lobbying for exclusion from the bill.

SB 321 will now move to the state House for consideration - we will keep you posted on further action items once it receives a committee referral in that chamber.  The fight is not over!  These companies will continue to fight for notice requirements and exemptions in the House, so be aware of where they stand and be prepared to direct calls and e-mails into House offices in opposition to such requirements and industry "carve-outs".

Also, on Monday, the House Business & Industry Committee voted out House Bill 681, the House companion bill to SB 321 sponsored by state Representative Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington).  This measure now moves to the House Calendars Committee, which has full authority to determine if and when the bill gets set for consideration by the full House.  It will take the balance of this week for the bill to "officially" move to Calendars.  We will keep you posted on any necessary action items on this bill in the near future.