DANIEL
MONTAGNOLI
AUSTIN, TX — Texas legislators have just approved two bills making it legal to open carry in public and on University campuses. This bill received a lot of opposition from anti-gun groups (surprise, surprise).
House Bill 901 cleared the state house last Friday with 102 votes in favor of the bill and 43 against. In the Senate, it passed with a 20-11 vote. This all happened after a week of relentless debate where Democrats threatened a filibuster that never materialized.
After the bill was approved, Governor Greg Abbott tweeted, “Open Carry just passed in both the Texas House & Senate. Next destination: My Pen.”
The bill allows those who have a concealed weapons permit to carry a gun openly in a hip or shoulder holster. Some Second Amendment advocates feel that this bill did not go far enough because it still requires a permit, but it’s still a step in the right direction.
Of course, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America stuck their nose in it. “There is no evidence to show the open carry of handguns makes Texas safer,” said Sandy Chasse, a Texas volunteer in the Moms Demand Action group. The group argued that the bill put public safety at risk.
The House also approved the “campus carry” bill a few months ago with a 98-47 vote. This bill also requires those who open carry to have a concealed weapons permit. Guns are still banned at campus sporting events and buildings that are specifically designated “gun-free zones.” The bill will be in full effect in August of 2016 at four-year public universities and will be extended to junior colleges and private colleges later.
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