New Push for making Texas an open-carry state for handguns in 2013

[ANGLICO]

Lawmaker's sights set on making Texas an open-carry state for handguns

Wayne Slater, The Dallas Morning News
Published: 24 November 2012 10:33 PM

.....The Legislature passed a law in 1995 allowing Texans to carry handguns concealed under coats, in purses, or in glove compartments. But it’s still against the law to carry pistols where people can see them.

Rep. George Lavender, a Texarkana Republican, wants to change that. When the Legislature convenes in January, he says, he will push for an “open carry” law.

.....Like his 2011 bill, the one he plans to introduce in the upcoming session would allow businesses and private property owners to post signs prohibiting firearms, he said. The current concealed-weapon law contains a similar provision.

.....“I believe officers have accepted the carry permit, and they believe it works and is functional,” he said.

“Open carry introduces something unknown to law enforcement............”

......Wilkison said, police agencies will need new training programs to guide an officer’s conduct when he or she encounters someone wearing a pistol.

Read the rest: Lawmaker's sights set on making Texas an open-carry state for handguns | Dallas-Fort Worth Local Breaking News - News for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[longhornfan6]

I live in Texas and think open carry is great for those who would like to do it. If the law changes and open carry becomes legal I myself will still conceal carry, but it is still great to have a choice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SFury]

OC has no issues. Wisconsin has had OC legal for all (non-felons) for a long time with no issues. Outside of the problems that would have otherwise occurred at any rate.

The only issue with OCing comes from being in one of a few cities that try to trample on citizens 2A rights to OC. Madison and Milwaukee are the two most notable places I would suggest not OCing in Wisconsin. There are other cities that try to be anti-OC, but as long as you don't do anything to cause a problem, you will not be bothered.

Realistically, in some places, the bigoted police are more of an issue than those that OC or CC at any given time.

Pass a law similar to what we have Wisconsin, and you will be good to go.

[sdprof]

One of the biggest reasons to have OC as the law is that it takes away any penalty for a CCer whose gun is accidentally exposed.

Hope it works for TX this coming year!

[ErnieNWillis]

George Cotton will do everything in his power to see that OC in Texas never happens.

[kapnketel]

I always found it odd that Texas did not allow open carry, given its history and reputation as a "gun" state. Lets hope it passes. I assume the governor would sign it?

[Doodle]

OK quick google fu yielded nothing...who is George Cotton

[Crews]

I'd love to have it, just so it covers me if I accidentally show my concealed weapon. I won't ever OC, don't want that attention.

[mprp]

I always found it odd that Texas did not allow open carry, given its history and reputation as a "gun" state. Lets hope it passes. I assume the governor would sign it?

That's what I was thinking too. It's a shame really. I mean come on, it's Texas. That's the first place that comes to mind when you picture a Colt revolver hanging low off the hip. But then again, I guess that's the same view as someone picturing those of us in California with surfboards, Porsches in the beautifully landscaped driveways calling each other "Dude" all the time and acting like Sean Penn too I suppose.

Good luck to you Texas! Hope it works out.

[Hopyard]

I always found it odd that Texas did not allow open carry, given its history and reputation as a "gun" state. Lets hope it passes. I assume the governor would sign it?

The reputation and the historic reality don't match. TX had fairly strict anti-handgun possession laws until about 15 years ago or so.
No open carry off your own property; no concealed carry; no license to carry ; no car carry.

We had an awkward "travel exemption" (defense against prosecution)
but no one really knew what that law meant. Usually it meant you could only carry when going out of your home county
overnight.

So with that mythology about TX and handguns settled, where we are now is hugely better than where we were.

I'm not in favor of OC at all, at least not in the more heavily populated counties.

What might work out in Ft. Stockton or Ozona isn't the same as what would work in Montgomery County or Brazos County.

We do need some change though to make accidental exposure of a concealed weapon not be a no no.

[ErnieNWillis]

OK quick google fu yielded nothing...who is George Cotton

Sorry I meant Charles Cotton. He is a pro CHL forum owner and attorney but is adamantly opposed to open carry. I believe he thinks it may infringe on concealed carry laws in Texas.

[SFury]

I don't follow that logic. How can allowing OC infringe upon CC rights? If anything, allowing OC strengthens CC laws.



Hopyard, allowing OC in the state of Wisconsin has never caused any crimes. Just because it may scare people, doesn't mean it is a bad thing. More importantly, just because attitudes are different in various parts of the state doesn't mean that one region should be allowed to infringe on the rights of others. Yours included. People need to exercise proper judgement when doing anything. Attitudes like yours would lead to banning driving because some people drive drunk. I don't follow that type of logic.

[lchamp]

I'd like to see OC in Florida just so I can check my mail without having to put on a shirt.

[MrBuckwheat]

Surprised Texas did not already have it.

I come from the 49th state to allow cc and we had open carry for year under a lefty corrupt Gov.

Hope Texas can work it out. They should allow OC.

[Hopyard]

I don't follow that logic. How can allowing OC infringe upon CC rights? If anything, allowing OC strengthens CC laws.



Hopyard, allowing OC in the state of Wisconsin has never caused any crimes. Just because it may scare people, doesn't mean it is a bad thing. More importantly, just because attitudes are different in various parts of the state doesn't mean that one region should be allowed to infringe on the rights of others. Yours included. People need to exercise proper judgement when doing anything. Attitudes like yours would lead to banning driving because some people drive drunk. I don't follow that type of logic.

I don't know Mr. Cotton's reasons, but I know mine. First thing you'd see happen is all the malls
would ban OC and hang 30.06 signs. Same with the banks and churches, and just about every
business. Second thing you'd see happen is a huge waste of police resources as people
got flustered and called in MWG complaints.

As I said, I think we could have some OC in our smaller counties and communities. Maybe if
that worked out the whole thing could be slowly expanded to get where some want to go. A quick
change to the law will backfire.