SB706

Regular Session

Relating to the recognition of a handgun license issued by another state.

LowStandard timeline

Low Cost

Effective:2025-09-01

Enforcing Agencies

Department of Public Safety • Office of the Governor

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

Effective Date: September 1, 2025
Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025 (Security protocols must be updated by start of business).
Agency Rulemaking: The Department of Public Safety (DPS) must update its website annually to list recognizing states. Expect an initial "All States" guidance update from DPS in August 2025.

Immediate Action Plan

1. Purge Reciprocity Maps: Physically remove and delete all "Texas Reciprocity Maps" from guard shacks and security manuals by August 31, 2025.
2. Update Signage Policy: Re-evaluate if your TPC §30.06/§30.07 signage is prominent enough, as it now applies to a wider demographic of visitors.
3. Revise "No Weapons" Scripts: Provide security staff with new verbal scripts for confronting armed visitors. Arguments regarding "invalid state permits" are no longer legally sound.
4. Verify Insurance: Confirm "invitee" coverage extends to license holders from states previously barred by Texas.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

Security Vendor MSAs: Review Master Services Agreements with private security firms. Strike clauses requiring guards to "verify reciprocity status against the DPS map." Replace with "verify validity of issuing state license."
Commercial Leases: Ensure "Authorized Person" definitions in lease agreements refer to "holders of a valid license recognized under Texas Gov't Code 411.173" rather than listing specific reciprocal jurisdictions.

Hiring/Training

Front-Line Security: Retrain access control staff immediately. The instruction "Check if the state is on the approved list" is now obsolete. The new instruction is: "Is the license unexpired and valid on its face?"
Differentiation Training: Staff must be trained to distinguish between Reciprocity (visitor has a card from another state) and Constitutional Carry (visitor has no card but claims their state allows it). SB706 applies *only* to license holders. Visitors without physical licenses do not gain new rights under this bill.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

Incident Logs: Update security incident forms. Remove "Non-Reciprocal State" as a checkbox for unauthorized entry.
Trespass Authority: A visitor with an out-of-state license is now subject to TPC §30.06 and §30.07 signage. If you post these signs, they now legally bind visitors from all 50 states, not just previously reciprocal ones.

Fees & Costs

No Direct Fees: There are no new government fees for businesses.
Insurance Review: Consult your liability carrier. You are now legally required to treat individuals with potentially lower training standards (from states with laxer laws) as fully licensed. Confirm this does not alter your premises liability premiums.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

Digital Credentials: The statute recognizes a "valid license," but does not explicitly standardize digital/mobile driver's licenses or carry permits, which are increasingly common in states like Louisiana and Colorado.
*Risk:* Without DPS rulemaking on verifying out-of-state digital IDs, businesses must decide internal policy: Do you accept a phone screen as proof, or require a physical card?
Non-Resident Licenses: The law recognizes licenses "issued by another state." It does not explicitly distinguish between "Resident" and "Non-Resident" licenses.
*Operational Assumption:* Treat *any* valid license issued by a state government (e.g., a Florida license held by a New York resident) as valid in Texas until DPS issues contrary guidance.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

TopicsGovernor Intergovernmental Relations Weapons Public Safety, Department of Internet

Official Analysis

View HRO Analysis View All Bill Documents

BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 706
89R5686 JSC-F	By: Schwertner
	State Affairs
	2/21/2025
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Current law authorizes the governor to negotiate carry license reciprocal agreements with other states, or issue unilateral proclamations of recognition for licenses from other states, depending on those states' license issuance requirements (as determined by the Texas Attorney General) and their own reciprocity laws. However, this Texas license to carry (LTC) reciprocity law has not been revisited since 2003 and we trail 20 other states that already provide for universal recognition of valid carry licenses.

While Texas currently has reciprocity with 34 states, and unilaterally recognizes carry licenses from another nine states, we have no reciprocity or recognition with the other six. S.B. 706 would bring Texas LTC law into line with the other 20 states, as well as our permitless carry law, by allowing individuals from all 50 states to carry here with a valid license to carry.

As proposed, S.B. 706 amends current law relating to the recognition of a handgun license issued by another state.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.� Amends Section 411.173(b), Government Code, as follows:

�(b) Provides that a valid license to carry a handgun issued by any other state is recognized in this state.� Requires the governor to negotiate with any other state an agreement that provides for the reciprocal recognition of a license to carry a handgun if the other state requires such an agreement before recognizing a license to carry a handgun issued by this state. Requires the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas to publish on its Internet website and annually update a list of states in which a license to carry a handgun issued by this state is recognized.

Deletes existing text requiring the governor to negotiate an agreement with any other state that provides for the issuance of a license to carry a handgun under which a license issued by the other state is recognized in this state or to issue a proclamation that a license issued by the other state is recognized in this state if the attorney general of the State of Texas determines that a background check of each applicant for a license issued by that state is initiated by state or local authorities or an agent of the state or local authorities before the license is issued. Deletes existing text defining "background check."

SECTION 2.� Repealers: Sections 411.173(c) (relating to a requirement for the attorney general to annually prepare a report that determines which states are qualified to have their licenses recognized by Texas) and (d) (relating to a requirement for the attorney general to submit the report listing states that qualify not later than January 1), Government Code.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.

Bill Text(with markup)

S.B. No. 706

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

	AN ACT
	relating to the recognition of a handgun license issued by another
	state.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Section 411.173(b), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(b) A valid license to carry a handgun issued by any other
	state is recognized in this state. The governor shall negotiate [an
	~~agreement~~] with any other state an agreement that provides for the
	reciprocal recognition [~~issuance~~] of a license to carry a handgun
	if the other state requires such an agreement before recognizing a
	license to carry a handgun issued by this state [~~under which a~~
	~~license issued by the other state is recognized in this state or~~
	~~shall issue a proclamation that a license issued by the other state~~
	~~is recognized in this state if the attorney general of the State of~~
	~~Texas determines that a background check of each applicant for a~~
	~~license issued by that state is initiated by state or local~~
	~~authorities or an agent of the state or local authorities before the~~
	~~license is issued.~~ ~~For purposes of this subsection, "background~~
	~~check" means a search of the National Crime Information Center~~
	~~database and the Interstate Identification Index maintained by the~~
	~~Federal Bureau of Investigation~~]. The department shall publish on
	its Internet website and annually update a list of states in which a
	license to carry a handgun issued by this state is recognized.
	SECTION 2. Sections 411.173(c) and (d), Government Code,
	are repealed.
	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


February 22, 2025

TO:	Honorable Bryan Hughes, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs

FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	SB706 by Schwertner (Relating to the recognition of a handgun license issued by another state.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would recognize a license to carry a handgun issued by another state.

According to the Office of the Attorney General, Office of the Governor, and Department of Public Safety, any additional work resulting from the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within current resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

300 Trusteed Programs Within the Office of the Governor, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 405 Department of Public Safety

LBB Staff:

JMc, WP, LCO, KCu, NV

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB706

What does Texas SB706 do?

SB706 mandates universal recognition of all valid out-of-state handgun licenses, effectively dismantling the current system that restricts reciprocity to specific states with compatible background checks. Effective September 1, 2025, businesses and security teams must treat a valid handgun license from any of the other 49 states as legally equivalent to a Texas License to Carry (LTC) for entry and trespass enforcement purposes. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025 Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025 (Security protocols must be updated by start of business).

Who authored SB706?

SB706 was authored by Texas Senator Charles Schwertner during the Regular Session.

When was SB706 signed into law?

SB706 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Which agencies enforce SB706?

SB706 is enforced by Department of Public Safety and Office of the Governor.

How urgent is compliance with SB706?

The compliance urgency for SB706 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

What is the cost impact of SB706?

The cost impact of SB706 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

What topics does SB706 address?

SB706 addresses topics including governor, intergovernmental relations, weapons, public safety, department of and internet.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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