Well, I didn’t expect this at all.
The House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety wants to take the concealed part out of concealed handgun licenses.
The committee voted 5-3 in favor of a bill that would remove the word concealed from the law that allows Texans to have a handgun license. The so-called “open carry” law would allow license holders to carry their weapons in plain view wherever they would be allowed to carry a concealed handgun. The rules for getting a license would not change.
Hit those phones, people. Call your reps and make it happen.
Ours went down in flames. If you guys get OC before the Gunshine state… I might just have to move.
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I’m just worried that they will screw up the wording and make concealed carry illegal during the time it would take to fix the fixed wording.
Just removing the word “concealed” from the law leaves it wide open to be interpreted as being open carry mandatory and concealed illegal.
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Hooray for Texas! It’s soooo hot down there I can’t see how this did not pass earlier.
Have been going down to Texas since the mid-90s and every time I go it gets better and better for carrying.
Lance, CCW is so popular down there it would be hard to believe they might make it illegal, intentionally or otherwise.
Weer’d, you give politicians too much credit.
Think about it, our (Texas) law now specifically states “concealed” handgun in the wording. If you just remove the word concealed everywhere (as is the current plan), it could be argued that at that point concealed carry is now illegal since it is not specifically stated as legal.
I agree in that one would like to think that this angle would be thought about beforehand and addressed, however if it’s not thought through to completion, who knows what could actually happen.
In a perfect world, they will give us the option of either open or concealed carry without further restriction, at the citizen’s discretion.
In other words, no man’s life, liberty, or property is safe when the Texas Legislature is in session. Fortunately, we only allow them to meet for a few weeks every two years.
And those few weeks are utterly terrifying.
We’d love to have ya;)
tweaker
My faith in your powers is fully restored, Alan! Ha, they must’ve read my comments!
Is there a senate bill to match?
The huge thing here is that we’re no longer subject to legal ramifications if we “accidentally” reveal our concealed handguns. Prior to this, I could get in trouble if I bent over, have my shirt ride up and then get tangled up on the wrong side of the grip, thus exposing my gun. I might beat the rap, but I’d still have some uncomfortable ‘splainin’ to do when the cops show up to a “man with a gun” call. I also love the idea that this might do more to normalize armed citizens.
Bob D.
Penal code reads: “A license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a handgun on or about the license holder’s person under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and *INTENTIONALLY* fails to conceal the handgun.”
If you bend over and inadvertently expose your sidearm, you should be okay. I think the police are generally used to tourists calling in concealed weapons by now.
Of course there are several theories out there on any kind of “carry”. But the end result is, “I’d rather be found dead with a gun than without one.” At least I will have had a chance to defend myself, and isn’t that what it’s all about anyway? I have a concealed carry license and in all my travels, I have only had to produce it once. If I hadn’t shown it to the people that would have done me harm, I’d most likely have made my dentist and other health care providers a lot richer. I’ll never give up my right to self defense and I hope you won’t either