Texas Scorecard By Joshua Pierce February 5, 2021
The 2021 legislative session could be more friendly for gun rights activists, with several bills being filed to expand permitless carry in Texas.n light of new committee assignments announced this week, constitutional carry legislation may have renewed life.
Last session, a bill to remove the permitting requirement to carry a handgun was killed by now-retired Democrat State Rep. Poncho Nevarez when the legislation was sent to the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, which he chaired. Nevarez didn’t give the bill a hearing.
On Thursday, State Rep. James White (R–Hillister) was appointed chairman of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee by Speaker Dade Phelan.
White’s placement could be a major step forward for gun rights activists. The Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee deals with issues relating to law enforcement, anti-terrorism activities, crime prevention, and gun regulation. White has been a known supporter of constitutional carry, even filing his own bill, House Bill 1911, to implement it during the 2017 session. The bill would have made anyone already eligible to apply for an LTC (license to carry) able to carry without a permit.
That legislation, however, did not pass.
Nevertheless, constitutional carry has long been a priority for conservatives. In fact, constitutional carry is a top legislative priority for the Texas GOP, with 85.38 percent of its members demanding the Texas Legislature “restore legal Texas firearms owners’ rights to carry them openly or concealed without a permit, while maintaining the option of a permit for reciprocity purposes†in the 2020 Republican primary.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/state/new-chairman-gives-hope-for-constitutional-carry/
