Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill to allow Texans to carry handguns without a permit
SAN ANTONIO — In the shadow of the iconic Alamo and flanked by Republican state lawmakers and the leader of the National Rifle Association, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday signed a package of bills aimed at enhancing gun rights in Texas.
"Today, I signed documents that instill freedom in the Lone Star State," Abbott said to cheers from several dozen gun rights supporters who packed a meeting room at the Alamo complex in downtown San Antonio.
The package's centerpiece, House Bill 1927, will allow holstered handguns to be carried in Texas without a permit. It was formally signed into law Wednesday, but the governor made a show of affixing his name on the legislation on Thursday. He did the same for six other bills that also take effect Sept 1.
MORE: Legislature gives final approval to bill allowing Texans to carry handguns without a permit
Abbott was exuberant during the 25-minute ceremony during which he and legislative leaders hailed as heroes two men who opened fire on separate mass shooters at Texas churches in recent years.
"This restores what our Constitution was supposed to be about," said Stephen Willeford, who wounded the gunman who killed 25 and injured 20 others in a rampage at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on Nov. 5, 2017.
Willeford stood next to Jack Wilson, who fired a single shot to take down the gunman who killed two people at West Freeway Church of Christ in Fort Worth on Dec. 29, 2019.
Wayne LaPierre, who leads the NRA, said safeguarding guns rights is essential in "an increasingly dangerous world."
"People want to be able to protect themselves," he said. "And thank God that Texas is leading the way for the country."
HB 1927 will allow anyone 21 years old or older who can legally possess a firearm in Texas to carry a handgun in public without a permit. Current state law requires residents 21 or older to complete the required training and criminal background check to obtain a license to carry.
The other bills signed Thursday were:
- Senate Bill 19, which bars government contracts with entities that discriminate against the firearm industry.
- SB 20, which prevents hotels from implementing restrictive gun policies.
- SB 550, which gives handgun carriers more freedom to choose which holster to wear.
- HB 957, which removes firearm suppressors from the list of prohibited weapons in the Texas Penal Code.
- HB 1500, which says firearms and ammunition sellers and manufacturers are essential businesses.
- HB 2622, which prohibits state and local governments from enforcing new federal gun rules.
The House and Senate sent HB 1927 to Abbott last month after reaching a compromise that addressed some concerns from law enforcement.
The final version created stiffer penalties for illegal weapons carried by felons and those convicted of family violence offenses.
The bill also allows those previously convicted of unlawfully carrying a handgun in a public place to have the conviction expunged from their record, and it provides a limited affirmative defense for those who mistakenly bring their handgun to certain prohibited places.
The bill directs the Texas Department of Public Safety to create a free, online gun safety course, but training is no longer required to carry a handgun. Businesses can prohibit guns by posting a sign.
Democratic opposition
Texas Democrats and gun control activists have denounced permitless carry, which they say would increase gun violence in Texas and make it easier for criminals to obtain a gun. Democrats also have expressed frustration that the Legislature did not pass bipartisan gun control measures in the aftermath of multiple mass shootings in the state.
Progress Texas Executive Director Ed Espinoza said Wednesday that Abbott and Republicans are out of touch with voters.
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"In passing permitless carry, Republicans are saying that you no longer need a license to carry a gun, but you still need one to vote,” Espinoza said in a statement. “The public was not asking for this and voters overwhelmingly oppose the measure, but right wing legislators forced it through anyway."
Most Texans oppose removing the requirement to obtain a state permit to carry a handgun, according to a recent poll by the University of Texas and Texas Tribune. Fifty-nine percent of Texans object to the idea, though 56% of Republicans supporting the measure, the survey found.
Another UT/Texas Tribune poll found that 57% of Texans strongly support background checks on all gun purchases.
'Constitutional carry'
Republicans, who call the bill "constitutional carry," argue that the measure puts Texas in line with at least 20 other states where handguns can be carried without a permit and appropriately expands gun rights under the Second Amendment.
Rep. Matt Schaefer, a Tyler Republican and author of the bill, praised the compromise reached between members of the House and Senate, which was sent to Abbott last month.
"Ultimately, we came out with a bill that is strong, and no doubt is the strongest restoration of Second Amendment rights that any of us have ever seen in the history of the state of Texas," Schaefer said.
Abbott was asked whether he decided against holding the bill-signing ceremony in Austin because of last weekend's mass shooting in the city's Sixth Street entertainment district that left 25-year-old Douglas Kantor dead and 13 others wounded. The governor at first deflected the question by pointing out the Alamo's place in Texas' history. But then he addressed the Austin shooting.
"I had the opportunity to visit with the family of the person who lost his life to tragedy," Abbott said. "The family members are heartbroken about what happened."
But, he added, "family members were adamant: ... do not let this crime committed by teenagers be a reason to eliminate gun rights in the United States of America."