Texas Legislation Would Allow Guns Without Licenses

NBC

A Texas lawmaker has introduced a bill that does away with the need for Texans to have licenses to carry guns.

Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, said he thinks his bill, which can be read here, has a good chance of passing.

“It’s our version of open carry, and it goes a step further and we say it restores our Second Amendment to what our constitutional fathers intended it for it to be,” said Stickland.

There are still exceptions that would prevent guns at school events and places like amusement parks, but in most cases the bill would make open carry without a permit legal.

Some Texans on Thursday said while they agree with Stickland on the right to own a gun, they were still concerned about gun owners having no training or permit.

“To be able to drive a 2,000- to 3,000-pound vehicle, you have to be able to show you have the ability to drive, that you have passed a written test understanding the laws of the road. And I feel like having a gun is the same thing,” said David Prince, owner of Eagle Gun Range Inc.

“I believe the average person off the street should be trained on how to shoot their gun,” said Paul Harris, of Coppell.

Gov. Greg Abbott said throughout his campaign he was in favor of open carry. When asked about Stickland’s legislation, since he can decide whether it reaches his desk, Abbott had the following to say.

“The most important thing for people to understand is, some are concerned, ‘Gosh, what is going to happen of we have open carry come to Texas?’ We have seen the same thing happen across the entire country, where you have open carry laws in places like Massachusetts and Vermont. You don’t have people breaking out guns and shooting each other. The same concerns were raised at the time when Texas adopted the concealed handgun law here in the state of Texas. We didn’t have the breaking out of the O.K. Corral. I think it’s going to work out fine whichever way the law passes,” said Abbott.

View video here