Texas House Committee to Hear Permitless Carry Legislation Next Thursday

[Elderberry]

NRA-ILA 3/20/2021

On Thursday, March 25, the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety will hear House Bill 1238, by Rep. Kyle Biedermann (R-Fredericksburg), House Bill 1911, by Rep. James White (R-Woodville), House Bill 1927, by Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), and House Bill 2900, by Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), NRA-backed permitless carry proposals that would allow law-abiding citizens to carry a handgun without a state-issued License To Carry (LTC).

The existing LTC law would not be repealed under these measures.  Criminals who are prohibited from possessing firearms (i.e., felons, fugitives from justice, individuals committed by the courts for mental illness, domestic abusers) would still be barred from carrying guns.  This legislation would not prevent the enforcement of any laws broken by criminals who misuse firearms.

Texas currently allows lawfully-possessed long guns to be carried openly without a state-issued license, and handguns concealed in a motor vehicle, boat or recreational vehicle without a LTC.  Law-abiding citizens can also carry handguns without a license on their own premises or on premises under their control.

More: https://www.nraila.org/articles/20210320/texas-house-committee-to-hear-permitless-carry-legislation-next-thursday

[roamer_1]

We have always had Open Carry... And just got permitless CCW, which I happened to exercise for the first time a couple nights ago.

Felt exactly the same as when I was breaking the law carrying concealed before. 

[Elderberry]

We have always had Open Carry of rifles and shotguns, but carry of handguns, open or concealed, required a LTC.

[roamer_1]

CCW never meant very much before anyway... Because it was hard to enforce against an open carry under a winter coat that happened to be long enough to conceal the gun... And it was always alright if you happened to have a gun in your pocket coming back from the woods...

Several times I had been in abeyance, but informed the officer  I was packing - never had a problem.

So while it is NICE to have permitless CCW, it really didn't change all that much.

What would be nice is reciprocation all the way across the board, or at least across the west and midwest, which is the only places I am likely to be. I did get pulled over both in WY and ID, same as here, so I tend not to worry about it much