For or Against Constitutional Carry? Let Us Hear from You

open-carry

State Rep. Jonathan Stickland has pre-filed a measure for the 2017 legislation session to bring Constitutional Carry to the Lone Star State — a bill which, if passed and signed into law, would make Texas the largest state with permitless carry.

Under Stickland’s bill, titled the Texas Constitutional Carry Act, the framework for concealed-carry permits would disappear, allowing adults who are lawfully able to possess a firearm under federal and Texas laws to carry concealed without a permit.

In an interview Fox 7 TV in Austin, Stickland said, “This is meant to restore the constitutional rights of Texans to be able to carry a firearm without being forced to take a government-mandated test and pay a fee.” The bill is HB 375. Similar legislation last session failed.

Constitutional Carry refers to the 2nd Amendment allowing law-abiding citizens to carry weapons in order to defend themselves, without have to get their home states’ permission by taking classes, paying permit fees, or other legal impediments. More than a dozen other states have similar laws.

Currently, more than a million Texans have permits, or about one active License to Carry (LTC) holder per 27 residents. Florida has the most active permits of any state, with more than 1.5 million active individual licenses.

Texas Law Shield Members on our Facebook page have weighed in with hundreds of comments on both sides of the issue.

Bill P. commented, “If we have to be licensed to drive a car, I don’t see that carrying should be exceptional. How do we keep the unfit from carrying if there’s no barrier to their carrying? There are people who shouldn’t be allowed to carry — I feel that’s intuitively obvious! I don’t know how to decide, but I feel that there needs to be some kind of check on this.”

Rhonda R. opined, “I want to know they at least attended and passed a class with written and shooting test.”

Earnie Y. said, “I really think the process of CHL is helpful, if only for screening.”

James C. said, “About time the Constitution was allowed to stand on its own. Statutory law can’t overrule it.”

What’s your view on Constitutional Carry? Do you favor the idea, or do you like the way our state’s carry laws are right now? Let us hear your opinions in the comments section below.

 

The post For or Against Constitutional Carry? Let Us Hear from You appeared first on U.S. & Texas LawShield.