HB 865 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to civil liability arising from a firearm hold agreement.

HB 865 creates legal immunity for federal firearms licensees (like gun stores) who participate in "firearm hold agreements," where a customer voluntarily leaves their legally owned firearm with the licensee for temporary storage. The bill shields these licensees from civil lawsuits if injuries or deaths occur during the agreement or when returning the firearm, unless the licensee acted unlawfully or with gross negligence. This applies only to agreements initiated after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025, and does not affect existing claims. The law directly affects gun stores offering storage services and their customers using such agreements.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 5, 2025 Last action May 1, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Apr 30, 2025

MODERATE

This bill expands civil liability protections for firearm storage agreements by adding a new subchapter that grants immunity from lawsuits to both federal firearms licensees and newly included congressionally chartered veterans service organizations. The change matters because it extends legal protections beyond just commercial gun stores to include veterans service organizations that legally store firearms for individuals.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include congressionally chartered veterans service organizations alongside federal firearms licensees as entities eligible for immunity from civil liability claims arising from firearm hold agreements.

ELIGIBILITY

Added congressionally chartered veterans service organizations to the list of entities eligible for immunity from civil liability claims related to firearm storage agreements.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'firearm hold agreement' to include transactions involving congressionally chartered veterans service organizations in addition to federal firearms licensees.

Added a new definition for 'congressionally chartered veterans service organization' referring to veterans service organizations listed in 36 U.S.C. Subtitle II.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that immunity from civil liability for veterans service organizations applies only if they comply with firearms storage requirements applicable to federal firearms licensees.

Floor votes · House Apr 30, 2025

How they voted

138–0

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 144

Apr 30, 2025

D Democratic59

58 Yea 1

98% Yea

R Republican85

80 Yea 5

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 1, 2025

Committee

Referred to State Affairs

upper

May 1, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment as amended

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in committee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors