New Texas Bill to Allow Anyone Above the Age of 21 to Carry Handguns Without Permit or Background Checks

A new bill passed in the state of Texas has caught the attention of many. According to The Washington Post, Texas is just a step away from allowing individuals to carry handguns without training or permit in public. The controversial bill was passed by the state's Republican legislature on May 24, 2021. The final decision rests in the hands of Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who admitted his interest in signing the bill.

Just days before the bill was passed, Abbott took to Twitter to give clarity on his views regarding the bill. “The strongest Second Amendment legislation in Texas history. Let’s get it to my desk for signing," he tweeted.

However, the governor refrained to clear if he had the intention of making it into law. He also failed to address the concerns raised by critics.

With the newly passed bill, anyone above the age of 21 would be allowed to walk around with a gun without any background checks or licenses.

Citing the examples of mass shooting incidents at an El Paso Walmart, a Houston-area high school, and a movie theater in Odessa, gun-control groups and law enforcement leaders have opposed the bill. They believe that if the bill materializes into law, the state will see an increase in gun violence. Besides, it will be challenging for the cops.

“It’s going to make the jobs of the officers on the street more difficult,” said Kevin Lawrence, executive director of the Texas Municipal Police Association.

"We wouldn’t know who we’re stopping. Who is going to have a weapon? Who is not going to have a weapon? Who is trained proficient in that weapon and who’s not? I think it’s very important when you’re talking about people having something that could take someone’s life that they have to be trained in that,” Douglas Griffith, the president of the Houston Police Officers’ Union, according to ABC News.

Also, according to a poll conducted by the University of Texas and Texas Tribune Poll, about 59 percent of Texas voters are opposed to carrying guns without a permit.

On the other hand, the National Rifle Association and other supporters of the bill called it the greatest Texas “gun rights victory since the Alamo." They claimed that the restrictions infringed their constitutional right to bear arms.

"A right requiring you to pay a tax or obtain a government permission slip is not a right at all, that’s why the NRA is proud to have worked closely with state leaders and legislators to pass the most significant pro-Second Amendment measure in Texas history,” Jason Ouimet, executive director of the NRA’s lobbying arm, said in a statement.

The bill received mixed responses from across the country. While Republican leaders applauded the bill, Democrats vehemently opposed it.

Though the decision is yet to be made, the issue has already become a hot topic of discussion and debate across the country. According to Texas public safety department, the state has the most flexible and "loose" gun laws in the country. As per the data available, at the end of 2020, more than 1.6 million people in the state possessed handgun licenses. The state also allows individuals to carry rifles in public.

References: 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/05/25/texas-open-carry-gun-bill/

https://abc13.com/gun-laws-texas-constitutional-carry-bill-senate-license-in/10520433/

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Erich Schlegel