BILL ALLOWING CARRY OF HANDGUNS WITHOUT PERMIT HEADS TO GOV. ABBOTT’S DESK
The Texas Legislature has given final approval to a bill that would allow Texans to carry handguns without a license.
The Texas House and Senate reached a compromise on separate versions of the measure on Monday, sending the final bill to Governor Greg Abbott to be made law. The bill, which Abbott has said he would sign, would allow anyone over 21 who is legally able to possess a firearm in Texas to openly carry a handgun without a permit.
Supporters of the bill say it guarantees residents the right to bear arms and gives them better opportunity to defend themselves. Meanwhile, opponents say it could lead to increased gun violence.
One provision in the bill will allow people previously convicted for carrying a handgun without a license to have the conviction expunged. Other amendments include enhanced penalties for felons and family violence offenders who are caught illegally in possession of a weapon, and a requirement that the Texas Department of Public Safety create a free online course on gun safety.
If the bill is signed, Texas would become the largest of nearly two dozen other states that allow the unlicensed carry of a handgun. The law would go into effect September 1st.
While i do not own, nor carry a weapon, i do believe in being able to defend oneself. My observation has more to do with the timing of this bill, as it coincides with multiple “mass shootings” having been shoved to the forefront and down the throats of the people, in such a manner as appears to justify police shootings of people (armed or not), which are far greater in number than “mass shootings”. My only concern is whether or not this will make police even more trigger-happy when drawing their weapons, while both on and off-duty.
It’s the same with the alcohol-to-go law recently passed, which coincided with local stories of an increase in DWI’s since life ‘amid COVID concerns’.
My observations from constant monitoring of the news regarding Abbott, as well as police in Texas in general, and political posturing leads me to believe both of these legal passages are feeding a far larger political agenda than self-defense and a to-go alcohol drink with take out meals.
i suppose time will tell, but politicians seem to ‘never let a good tragedy go to waste’, do they?
Be safe and love one another, my brothers and sisters! And above all, stand with those you see being done wrong by others. It’s our greatest hope for defeating this beast system. God bless and keep everyone!
Who doesn’t own a gun and at times carry a gun with them; especially when traveling to another city. Now that this law is on the verge of being passed there is no longer a need to ride & hide your handgun. We have always actively encouraged people to arm themselves and keep the weapon with them at all times. This is the only decent legislation that has come from Austin in a long time!
Just one thought for you if you’re going to openly carry that gun, and that is anyone who sees it then knows you have it. While that may seem to be a positive in all respects, if you are followed to someplace where you cannot carry it and have to leave it in your vehicle, the car may be burglarized and the gun stolen. That also frequently happens when people leave shooting ranges.
Thank you for the concern. Prayerfully that will not happen to me or anyone else. If it does happen then I would immediately report the gun stolen and inform my insurance agent. Of course I would replace the stolen handgun from my collection (at home and else where) so that I am armed at all times. I do a lot of leisure and personal traveling and I would change nothing about my Constitutional open carry of my handgun. Kinda reminds us of the “slave patrols”. The police may appreciate the extra help.
While I too have had a CHL/LTC for nearly a decade, I wonder if the thousands that will begin carrying have any idea of the legal ramifications that can occur if that firearm is drawn, and not even discharged. The proponents say that the DPS will place an online training video on a website and they expect that people are going to watch it. My guess is that few will watch it, as there is no mandatory requirement to do so. Two things that worry me are that anyone who injures an innocent bystander while “defending themselves” cannot be held civilly responsible for injuries, and that the 5-year prison sentence that the proponents were advertising as “getting tough on those who would illegally carry a handgun” is not a mandatory sentence. It could be 5 years, or it could be any time less; it could also be probated so that someone who could not (by law) carry a handgun under the new legislation, would only receive a probated sentence if they were to do so. That does not reflect a “tough” stance.
One positive thing of the new law is that it will offset the many Jim Crow laws that have afflicted African-Americans over the last century, in that it removes the charge for the license ($40) and the class ($75 or so) for those who could not afford it before; it is estimated that over 100,000 more African-American Texans will be carrying a handgun after the first three months of the law being in effect.
Your post makes me laugh. Would you prefer a law that only allows white males the right to carry a handgun? That seems to be the jest of your little post. Well, you cannot have it both ways. EVERYONE will soon be ALLOWED the privilege to Constitutionally carry a handgun, legally! The $40 license fee and the $75 fee for the LTC was paid by those who wish to legally carry their handgun. Many whites couldn’t afford the fees either; but, they packed guns. I don’t know if you knew that. It is not illegal to own a gun in Texas. Many people do; white folk and BLACK people too. Your post did not mention Asians or Latinos; so, I guess THOSE people do not have the permission of white folk to own a gun. Not to worry my friend, as soon as “your” Governor signs that bill into law, be assured that African-Americans will no longer have to ride and hide their handguns and many more will become `1st time gun owners! Texas will soon be an open carry state! Assume that everyone is LOCKED AND LOADED! I think one positive offset from this will be that even fools and morons will be a little more tolerant and respectful!
The people that are really against this are the ones that have private security. The people that charge $3-400 for a class that will now be free but not required. You have the right to defend yourself and your family. Texas just makes it easier and fair. Now crime will drop because criminals will not know who does and doesn’t have a firearm.
Long overdue. Now Texas joins 20 other states with Constitutional Carry (term not mentioned in this article…)
The other 20 states before Texas had a 10% to 20% drop in violent crime, so spare me your fear mongering you antigunners.
I’ve been CHL/LTC since 1996 and carried CC years before that.
Though my LTC classes at Deans Defensive Shooting will drop to 0, I’m very pleased with Kolkhorst’s support and diligence.
Remember, better to have Dangerous Freedom over peaceful slavery (Thomas Jefferson)
Be the Sheepdog!
This has gone too far. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. What are people afraid of? I thought christians believed God would protect them? Settle down people. We’re all here together. How about living like you trust your beliefs and treat others as you want to be treated?