A bill in the Texas House proposes removing the concealed portion of Texas gun laws allowing license holders to freely display their weapons.
State Rep. George Lavender, R-Texarkana, proposed HB 700, which alters the code that says a firearm can’t be seen, but does require it be in a belt or shoulder holster with dual points of resistance.
Lavender said it will allow law-abiding licensed individuals the ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights when the government is infringing upon those rights.
Texas is one of the few states along with California, Florida, and a few others that prohibit the carrying a handgun openly. States like Alaska, Arizona and Vermont don’t even require a license to carry a gun openly.
Most states have some law on the books that says its residents don’t have to hide their gun under their sleeve or coat, but in Texas a firearm cannot be seen when taken outside the home.
Concealed handgun licenses (CHLs) are needed to legally carry covered weapons. Laws about background checks and other requirements to obtaining a gun permit would still be intact.
