HB 3065

relating to the disposition of a firearm surrendered through a
firearm buyback program administered by certain local law
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 11, Local Government Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 366 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 366.  LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FIREARM BUYBACK
Sec. 366.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
(1)  "Firearm buyback program" means a program under
which a local law enforcement agency offers a payment in exchange
for the surrender of a firearm to the agency.
(2)  "Local law enforcement agency" means a municipal
police department or sheriff's department.
Sec. 366.002.  DISPOSITION OF SURRENDERED FIREARM.  (a)
Except as provided by Subsection (b), a local law enforcement
agency that receives a firearm surrendered through a firearm
buyback program shall ensure that all firearms received through the
firearm buyback program are destroyed.  For purposes of this
section, destruction of a firearm means at a minimum:
(1)  to completely melt, shred, or crush the firearm
receiver, frame, scope, and all other component parts of the
(2)  to cut each of the following in at least three
(B)  any other component part of the firearm that
is similar to or exceeds the size of the receiver.
(b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a local law enforcement
agency may sell to a person a firearm received through a program
described by this section only if the agency:
(1)  requests that a firearms dealer licensed under 18
U.S.C. Section 923 conduct a national instant criminal background
check of the person in the manner required by 18 U.S.C. Section 922;
(2)  uses the results of the background check to verify
that the person to whom the firearm is being sold may lawfully
(c)  On a finding by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
that the chief administrator of a local law enforcement agency
intentionally failed to destroy a firearm in accordance with this
section, the commission shall begin disciplinary procedures
against the chief administrator.
SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.