It’s official. Starting the 1st of September, Texans can now carry handguns without a license, thanks to HB 1927. The law would also eliminate the requirement for training, fingerprinting, and exams of any kind. The law is successfully passed thanks to a provision that levies penalties on felons and family violence offenders caught carrying.
Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other Republicans who were initially noncommittal about the bill were under immense political pressure this session from conservatives and gun rights advocates, who have long lobbied the Texas Legislature for permitless carry but historically struggled to win support.
Before approving the bill, the Senate tacked on several amendments to address concerns by law enforcement groups that opposed permitless carry, worried it would endanger officers and make it easier for criminals to get guns.
The compromise lawmakers reached behind closed doors kept intact a number of changes the Senate made to the House bill, including striking a provision that would have barred officers from questioning people based only on their possession of a handgun.
The deal also preserves a Senate amendment enhancing the criminal penalties for felons and family violence offenders caught carrying. Among other Senate changes that made it into the law was a requirement that the Texas Department of Public Safety offer a free online course on gun safety.
See, background checks don’t need to be strict, and red flag laws are useless! Just like those stupid assault weapon bans!
Why in the world would anyone want stricter gun laws? They are not proven to work, since Houston has a lower crime rate than Los Angeles and New York City thanks to Texas’s adamant respect for the Constitution, especially the sacred Second Amendment. The fact that you can protect your kids, scare robbers when reaching for your gun, and defend yourself against a small puppy is proof that guns protect lives. Hell, you can shoot at the electric grid to make it work if it’s broken. Since the gun laws are not as bad as California or Chicago, one can live with peace of mind in Texas, either in the city or in the nice, master-planned suburbs. Or in the blooming, booming beaches along the Gulf Coast, enough to make a Californian envious. Why spend your hard-earned money on art or airfare, when you can spend it on a pistol or assault rifle? That’s what many people recommend.
/s