HB 1927, the FIREARM CARRY ACT OF 2021, made it out of the Homeland and Public Safety Committee, thru the Calendars Committee (which means the Speaker of the House supports it), and has been on the floor of the Texas House all day for debate. It was authored by one of the members of that committee, and the same committee also passed a separate "permitless carry" (seems to be the current term of art) that was authored by the committee chair. There are another five or so "permitless carry" bills as well, but I don't think they are going anywhere since these two have made it thru this far.
It essentially legalizes the carry of a handgun by a person 21 years of age or older anywhere that the current law authorizes a LTC holder to carry. The LTC would still exist, but you would not need it carry a handgun in Texas as long as you are 21 or older and not a prohibited person.
The Dems of course have thrown up all kinds of nonsense amendments to "protect school children" and rain on "white supremacists"-- one of our fellow Texans aptly labeled this "willful misdirection" -- but those are being batted down by generally substantial majorities.
This thing might actually pass the House this session. I try not to get my hopes up, but I really was not expecting this to go forward this soon in the session, or at all, really.
Oh, interesting: They just passed an amendment to expunge a past conviction for unlawfully carrying a handgun as long as that was the only crime (i.e. if you also robbed a 7-11 while unlawfully carrying, then no dice).
If passed the bill still needs to go through the Texas Senate.
It essentially legalizes the carry of a handgun by a person 21 years of age or older anywhere that the current law authorizes a LTC holder to carry. The LTC would still exist, but you would not need it carry a handgun in Texas as long as you are 21 or older and not a prohibited person.
The Dems of course have thrown up all kinds of nonsense amendments to "protect school children" and rain on "white supremacists"-- one of our fellow Texans aptly labeled this "willful misdirection" -- but those are being batted down by generally substantial majorities.
This thing might actually pass the House this session. I try not to get my hopes up, but I really was not expecting this to go forward this soon in the session, or at all, really.
Oh, interesting: They just passed an amendment to expunge a past conviction for unlawfully carrying a handgun as long as that was the only crime (i.e. if you also robbed a 7-11 while unlawfully carrying, then no dice).
If passed the bill still needs to go through the Texas Senate.