Lawmaker wants new pass for Capitol access

AUSTIN, TX Now state Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, wants people willing to undergo background checks to get the same access. Under current procedures, Texans with concealed handgun licenses can bypass metal detectors to enter the building. Lobbyists, journalists and other frequent visitors have signed up for gun permits in droves, just to get in quicker.

Geren's bill, filed Thursday, would establish a "pass for expedited access" to people who undergo the same background checks and pay a fee, but without having to get a gun permit.