Senate Republicans pass open carry bill for handguns in Texas | Dallas Morning News

Licensed Texans would be allowed to openly carry handguns in a shoulder or belt holster – like the Old West – under legislation tentatively approved by the Senate Monday after emotional debate that sharply divided Democrats and Republicans.

The measure by Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, would join Texas with most other states in authorizing open carry of handguns – as long as the person has a state handgun license. Currently, about 826,000 Texans have a concealed handgun license, nearly 3 percent of the state’s population.

The bill, approved on a 20-11 straight, party-line vote, would be effective on Jan. 1, 2016. Texans can already carry long guns, like rifles, openly.

In seeking approval for the measure, Estes said the change in law “is the way to go” for those who believe in freedom. Further, he asserted, the 800,000-plus handgun license holders “have been vetted and trained, and can decide what is best for them. I have great confidence in our license holders that they will do the right thing.”

Estes said his legislation is similar to what Oklahoma enacted a few years ago – and there have been few problems in that state with open carry. “If it becomes an issue later on (in Texas), we will deal with it,” he said in response to critics.

Regarding concerns that many Texans will be fearful of people openly displaying guns in public places like parks, Estes suggested they should “get help somewhere.”

Senate Democrats tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to soften its impact. Among those were proposals to require annual background checks for license holders, more handgun training for licensees and retention clips on all holsters used to carry handguns. Most amendments were tabled on partisan 20-11 votes.

Democrats also claimed to have the support of the law enforcement community in Texas, which mostly testified in opposition to the bill at an earlier public hearing.

One amendment that was adopted, by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, exempted college campuses from the open carry measure.

“Have you thought about the dangers you will expose to the men and woman who make up law enforcement in our state?” asked Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, speaking against the proposal.

Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, suggested that someone shooting a person displaying a handgun could raise an argument of self-defense by saying he was threatened by the exposed weapon.

West also pressed Estes to name any law enforcement agencies or leaders who support his open carry proposal. “If none testified in favor, would you still move forward on this bill?” he asked, suggesting there was a good reason marshals and sheriffs in the Old West required cowboys to hang up their guns when coming into town.

The Republican tide on the open carry measure was aided by a change in Senate rules this session that reduced the number of votes needed to bring a bill up for debate. Instead of the previous two-thirds margin that was needed in the past (21 votes), the required margin is now three-fifths, or 19 votes. Republican currently hold 20 seats in the 31-member chamber.