Texas law passes allowing handguns to be carried openly on streets
Gun-owners would still need a licence to carry a handgun in a visible holster
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Texas House and Senate Republicans have approved a measure allowing handguns to be carried openly on the streets of the nation’s second most-populous state. The Republican governor, Greg Abbott, is expected to sign the Bill, thereby reversing a ban dating back to the post-Civil War era.
Gun-owners would still need a licence to carry a handgun in a visible holster.
The state known for its Wild West history and some of the US’s most relaxed gun laws has allowed concealed handguns for 20 years. Concealed handgun licence holders are even allowed to skip the metal detectors at the state capitol, as it’s presumed they’re armed.
But Texas was one of only six states with an outright ban on so-called “open carry”, and advocates have fought to be allowed to keep their guns in plain sight like the majority of the US states.
Cast as an important expansion of the Second Amendment right to bear arms in the US Constitution, it became a major issue for the state’s strong Republican majority.
Nudged by Mr Abbott’s pledge to sign “open carry” into law, Republican politicians muscled the Bill through the legislature late on Friday. The House gave final approval on a mostly party-line 102-43 vote, drawing gleeful whistles from some law-makers. A short time later, the Senate passed it 20-11, also along party lines, with all Republicans supporting it and all Democrats opposing.
Texas has about 850,000 concealed handgun licence holders, a number that has increased sharply in recent years.
AP
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments