By: Teresa Mull

The Texas State House has approved two readings of House Bill 1927, a Constitutional Carry bill. A third reading – mostly procedural – is still necessary to pass the bill onto the Senate.

Constitutional Carry is a policy that makes it so law-abiding citizens do not have to ask the government permission to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

The National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) has been leading the charge to enact Constitutional Carry across the nation. In 2021 alone, NAGR has helped make permitless carry the law of the land in Iowa, Utah, and Montana. So-called “Constitutional Carry” has also passed in Tennessee, but as GPM has reported, the law is full of anti-gun measures (read more here). Indiana, similarly, is considering a watered-down version of permitless carry (read about it here).

Chris McNutt, executive director of Texas Gun Rights, in a message to supporters, called the Texas House’s passage of HB 1927 “tremendous news,” and explained that the organization worked with bill sponsors on some amendments to ensure the bill was true Constitutional Carry legislation.

Constitutional Carry – which has been gaining momentum as a go-to gun policy for lawmakers – has never been taken up in the Texas legislature before. GPM reported earlier this year that due to favorable committee assignments in Texas House, Constitutional Carry has strong chances of passing in the Lone Star State in 2021. Seven House Democrats voted in favor of HB 1927 this time around.

According to the Texas Tribune,

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who heads the Senate, has previously expressed hesitation over the measure, saying in a 2017 radio interview that, “with all the police violence today we have in our state … law enforcement does not like the idea of anyone being able to walk down the street with a gun and they don’t know if they have a permit or not.”

And as GPM reported previously, all eyes will be on Texas. The passage of Constitutional Carry there could be a watershed moment for this legislative push, as it could create a domino effect of states following suit in passing this legislation. GPM will be closely monitoring the 87th legislative session, which is set to conclude on May 31, 2021.

NAGR is encouraging Texans to contact their representatives and urge them to pass Constitutional Carry, here: https://txgunrights.org/take-action/contact-your-lawmakers/?fbclid=IwAR0qO8yyJHRTlTTH23HLu-x_jpreFpHVuDuBi2tMMj_bHWn4lekHOheF9DQ

Teresa Mull ([email protected]) is editor of Gunpowder Magazine.