May 25, 2021
NRA-Backed Bill Passes in Texas Allowing Anyone to Carry Unlicensed Gun
The prospect of ordinary citizens being allowed to carry unlicensed weapons is almost a reality in one state in the United States of America.
According to the Associated Press, lawmakers in the state of Texas have approved a bill that will allow anyone to carry a handgun without a license. This bill will also allow people to be able to carry an unlicensed gun without a background check or training.
This measure, which was approved by a Republican-dominated legislature on Monday, is being sent up to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor has already stated that he will sign it despite the objections of law enforcement groups who say it would endanger the public and police officers.
The reasoning being floated around is that supporters of the bill feel it would allow the people of Texas to better defend themselves in public while also eliminating unnecessary impediments to the constitutional right for the citizens to bear arms. The state of Texas will be added to a list of nearly two dozen other states that allow some form of unregulated carry of a handgun.
Texas is poised to become the 21st state, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, to allow law-abiding individuals to carry a concealed handgun without a government-issued permit.
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The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) lauded the final passage of House Bill 1927 that allows law-abiding Texans to carry a handgun for personal protection without paying a tax or obtaining a license from the state.
“A right requiring you to pay a tax or obtain a government permission slip is not a right at all, that’s why the NRA is proud to have worked closely with state leaders and legislators to pass the most significant pro-Second Amendment measure in Texas history,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Jason Ouimet in a written statement. “Our members worked tirelessly to provide the crucial grassroots support to make constitutional carry a reality and restore the rights of law-abiding Texans.”
Texas has allowed the people in the state to carry handguns since 1995 and has been reducing the cost and training requirements for getting a license for the last decade.
“We’d like to thank bill author Rep. Matt Schaefer and his staff for their relentless efforts to pass HB 1927 this session,” said Tara Mica, NRA state director for Texas. “We also thank House Speaker Dade Phelan, Senate sponsor Charles Schwertner, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick for their leadership on this landmark legislation.”
This new law will take effect on Sept. 1, 2021.