Texas House Approves NRA-Backed Permitless Carry Bill
https://www.nraila.org/articles/20210416...less-carry-bill
Friday, April 16, 2021 Texas House Approves NRA-Backed Permitless Carry Bill

Early Thursday evening, on a 84-56 vote, the Texas House gave initial approval to House Bill 1927, by Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), an NRA-backed permitless carry proposal that would allow law-abiding citizens to carry a handgun without a state-issued License To Carry (LTC). This is the first time a permitless carry bill has been debated by, and passed out of, one legislative chamber. Earlier today, the House gave final approval to HB 1927 and voted 87-58 to send the measure to the Texas Senate. Click on the links provided to see how your State Representatives voted on HB 1927. Be sure to thank those who supported permitless carry!

Thank you to Rep. Schaefer for authoring this important bill, to House Committee Chairmen James White (R-Woodville) & Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) for moving the legislation through their committees, and to Speaker Dade Phelan and his team for their leadership on this critical measure.

It's time for Texas to join the 20 other states that have legalized this personal protection option!



-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Dan Patrick Says Senate Doesn’t Have Votes to Pass Constitutional Carry

“If the Senate is convinced that the people of Texas will not be satisfied unless Constitutional Carry passes this year, the Senate can find the votes for Constitutional Carry.”


By Iris Poole | April 19, 2021

https://texasscorecard.com/state/dan-patrick-says-senate-doesnt-have-votes-to-pass-constitutional-carry/

Last week, the Texas State House passed House Bill 1927 by State Rep. Matt Schaefer (R–Tyler), related to constitutional carry, or the permitless carry of firearms. This is the first time the bill has made it past the House, and it now awaits a vote from the Texas Senate.

Though constitutional carry is a priority of the Republican Party of Texas this session, the bill has not seen much progress in the Texas Legislature in recent sessions.

In the state Senate, similar legislation was introduced by State Sen. Drew Springer (R–Muenster) and referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Though Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had been pretty quiet this session, not long after HB 1927 left the House floor, he stated that the Texas Senate doesn’t have the votes to pass constitutional carry.

“If we have the votes to pass a permitless carry bill off the Senate floor, I will move it. At this point, we don’t have the votes on the floor to pass it. I plan to meet with law enforcement who oppose permitless carry and with the NRA and GOA, who support it, to see if we can find a path that a majority of senators will vote to pass.”

In response to Dan Patrick, Rachel Malone, the Texas director of Gun Owners of America, told Texas Scorecard:

Quote

---

If the Senate is convinced that the people of Texas will not be satisfied unless Constitutional Carry passes this year, the Senate can find the votes for Constitutional Carry. We look forward to discussing with Lt. Gov. Patrick the best path forward to repealing the license requirement so that legal gun owners do not have to apply for a permit to simply carry a handgun. And we urge all Texans to contact your State Senators to be sure they know that their constituents want them to prioritize this policy.

---

-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Read more: https://www.ammoland.com/2021/04/texas-c.../#ixzz6sgZYMKAX


Texas Constitutional Carry Bill Passes House, 84-56, Senate Fight Next
Ammoland Inc. Posted on April 18, 2021 by Dean Weingarten
https://www.ammoland.com/2021/04/texas-c.../#axzz6sU6X2pNB


U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- On Thursday, 15 April 2021, the Texas House passed CSHB1927, one of the bills otherwise known as Constitutional Carry, 84-54. Democrat opposition to the bill was fierce, in spite of 19 other states have passed similar legislation without adverse effects.

Texans are already able to carry rifles and shotguns around the state without any permit.

A Texas state constitutional amendment passed after the Civil War, during Reconstruction, was how handgun carry was allowed to be infringed in Texas. The Texas Amendment was aimed against minorities and freed slaves.

Restoring Constitutional Carry for handguns in Texas has been a slow, incremental process.

Legally armed Texas has shown itself to be extremely law-abiding. They have been more law-abiding than police in Texas. Gradually, slowly, incrementally, more and more restrictions on the carry of loaded handguns have been removed. There have not been any adverse effects.-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Let's call these waffley, limp-spined, Republicans and encourage them.

House Constitutional Carry Bill To Be Considered By New Texas Senate Committee
By Jack Fink, April 26, 2021 at 6:19 pm

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/04/26/house-constitutional-carry-bill-texas-senate-committee/

AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A Constitutional Carry bill approved by the Texas House will be considered by a newly-formed Senate Committee later this week.

The Constitutional Issues Committee has set 9 a.m. Thursday, April 29, for a hearing on House Bill 1927.

It comes as Texas Republican Party Chair, Ret. Lt. Col. Allen West has urged Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to support the measure.

In an interview Monday, April 26, West said, “We don’t need to study the issue. Either they see it as a constitutional right or they don’t. Twenty other states have said that they do see it as a constitutional right.”

On Friday, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick formed the new Committee, and the Chair, Senator Charles Schwertner tweeted that he supports HB 1927.

Schwertner proposed a similar measure last week that has been referred to the Senate Administration Committee.

If approved, it would allow anyone over 21 who’s passed a background check and eligible to carry a handgun without a license and training, which is required now.

A variety of Texas Police Chiefs, including Eddie Garcia of Dallas, oppose the measure.

A Senior Advisor to the Lt. Governor, Sherry Sylvester said there aren’t enough votes in the full Senate to pass Constitutional Carry.



-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Abbott to sign bill allowing permitless carrying of handguns, believes Senate is 'making progress'
Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune 4/28/2021

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/abbott-to-sign-bill-allowing-permitless-carrying-of-handguns-believes-senate-is-making-progress/ar-BB1g8VCu

Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday he would sign legislation allowing Texans to carry handguns in public without a license, breaking his silence on a proposal that has been building unprecedented momentum in the Texas Legislature.

Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday he would sign legislation allowing Texans to carry handguns in public without a license, breaking his silence on a proposal that has been building unprecedented momentum in the Texas Legislature.

"I support it, and I believe it should reach my desk, and we should have 'constitutional carry' in Texas," Abbott told North Texas radio host Rick Roberts.

As recently as a week ago, Abbott had declined to say whether he supported such a proposal, which the House passed earlier this month. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said the Senate does not have the votes for the legislation, but he is trying to find a way to move it through the process.

Last week, Patrick created a new committee with a majority of permitless carry supporters. The House legislation, House Bill 1927, was then referred to the panel, and HB 1927 is set for a hearing Thursday.

Abbott said he has talked to "several senators" on the new Senate Special Committee on Constitutional Issues.

"I believe it is making progress," Abbott said. "Once the Senate passes it out, the House and Senate will convene and work out any differences and get it to my desk, and I'll be signing it."


-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Permitless carry of a handgun in Texas nearly law, after Senate OKs bill
House Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun.
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/05/..._eid=6276fc82d6
by Sami Sparber and Shawn Mulcahy May 5, 20215:22 PM Central

The Republican-led effort to allow Texans to carry handguns without any kind of license cleared what is likely its biggest remaining hurdle in the Capitol on Wednesday, when the Texas Senate moved in a nail-biter vote to bring the measure to the floor and then gave it preliminary approval.

Pending final approval, the measure – already passed by the Texas House – heads to a conference committee for the two chambers to hash out their differences, unless the House accepts the Senate amendments. Then the bill heads to Gov. Greg Abbott, who said last week he would sign the permitless carry bill into law.

House Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun. The Senate initially approved the bill in a 18-13 vote, less than a week after it sailed out of a committee created to specifically to tackle the legislation.

Proponents of what Republicans call “constitutional carry” argue that Texas should follow the lead of at least 20 other states with similar laws on the books.-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Let's hope that the "final approval" comes quickly and Abbott signs without delay!!

Constitutional Carry Gets Approval in Texas Senate
Ultimately, the measure passed by a vote of 18 in favor and 13 in opposition after being amended several times, altering the House’s approved version.

By Jeramy Kitchen | May 5, 2021

https://texasscorecard.com/state/constitutional-carry-gets-approval-in-texas-senate/

Constitutional carry passed a major milestone on Wednesday.

A legislative priority of the Republican of Texas, constitutional carry would allow citizens to exercise their right to bear arms by removing the requirement for a license to carry handguns.

In a meeting that lasted more than eight hours, the Texas Senate considered House Bill 1927, authored by State Rep. Matt Schaefer (R–Tyler). State Sen. Charles Schwertner (R–Georgetown) is the bill’s sponsor in the Senate. The measure ultimately passed by a vote of 18 in favor and 13 in opposition.

The debate lasted a few hours and seemingly was largely orchestrated behind the scenes. More than 25 amendments were offered, and only eight were adopted by the end of the debate.

One amendment that was added would prohibit an individual from carrying a handgun if they have also been convicted of disorderly conduct with a firearm, deadly conduct, terroristic threat, or an assault resulting in bodily injury in the last five years. Sources say this amendment might make the bill subject to a point of order, potentially delaying its eventual consideration back in the House.

Another amendment, by State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury), added that it was an offense to carry a handgun in a public place while intoxicated.

Other amendments that were adopted were authored by Schwertner himself. One enhanced criminal penalties for felons in possession of a firearm to that of a second-degree felony with a five-year minimum of mandatory jail time; it would increase it to a third-degree felony for those already convicted of a Class A family violence misdemeanor.

Another amendment removes what Schwertner called the “savings clause,” which would have helped people who in good faith carried a handgun into a prohibited place by law without allowing them to correct their mistake by leaving the premises immediately.


-- snipped --

Next Steps

Now that the bill has passed the Senate, it will be up to the House of Representatives to decide whether it accepts the changes or whether it will appoint a conference committee to debate the differences.

Timing is crucial, however. With fewer than 26 days left in the 140-day legislative session, in the event a conference committee is appointed, both chambers will have to accept the conference committee report in order to get the bill to the governor’s desk.

-- excerpt, rest at link above --

EXCLUSIVE: TX Gun Rights Says Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Added ‘Poison Pill’ to Constitutional Carry Bill
"It looks like Patrick may have successfully placed a poison pill in an amendment to Constitutional Carry, in hopes it would cause the House to kill the bill by a point of order."

by Tom Pappert, May 6, 2021

https://nationalfile.com/exclusive-tx-gun-rights-says-lt-gov-dan-patrick-added-poison-pill-to-constitutional-carry-bill/

Texas seems to be inching closer to passing Constitutional Carry in the state, an increasingly common law that allows Americans to own firearms without permission from the government. However, Texas Gun Rights, the Second Amendment activist group championing the bill, says Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has added a “poison pill” to the Senate version of the bill in a last minute bid to kill the legislation and prevent it from reaching Governor Greg Abbott’s desk.

At least two Texas legislators have expressed concerns that Patrick added amendments to the Senate version of the bill that would legally force the Texas House to reject it, stalling Constitutional Carry legislation for the next two years. On Facebook, Rep. Matt Schaefer wrote, “No celebration yet folks! We are now reviewing amendments that were added by the Senate to look for issues that would break House rules governing the purpose of HB 1927. Our first impression has us very concerned. Will share more as soon as we can. Our goal is to make Texas the 21st Constitutional Carry state.”

Separately, former Rep. Matt Rinaldi added, “So Dan Patrick’s plan to kill constitutional carry is to attach a non-germane amendment that will rende rit out of order in the House and blame [Texas House Speaker] Dade Phelan when he sustains the point of order.”

So @DanPatrick’s plan to kill constitutional carry is to attach a non-germane amendment that will render it out of order in the House & blame @DadePhelan when he sustains the point of order. Cc: @DLoesch.

— Matt Rinaldi (@MattRinaldiTX) May 5, 2021

Speaking to National File, Matt McNutt of TX Gun Rights said, “In spite of his recent back pedaling, Lt. Gov. Patrick has been no friend to gun owners in the state of Texas. From threats of Universal Gun Registration to actively opposing open carry in 2015 and opposing Constitutional Carry every year since, Lt. Gov. Patrick has been a thorn in the side of law-abiding Texans wishing to defend their families without a government permission slip.”


-- excerpt, rest at link above --

Why the hell would he do that?