Gov. Abbott promised to sign the bill into law in a tweet:
House and Senate Republicans were encouraged to push the bill through the legislature due to Abbott’s pledge to sign an open carry bill into law. Both parties voted mostly along party lines – the final vote in the being 102-43 in the House and 20-11 in the Senate.
The bill, which will take effect after being signed by the Governor on January 1, 2016, will allow people with Concealed Handgun Licenses to openly carry a handgun in a belt or shoulder holster. Should the Campus Carry Bill pass on Saturday as expected, licensees will not be able to openly carry a handgun on campus.
Other places where concealed carry is not authorized remains unchanged.
The so-called “Dutton Amendment” which would prohibit police officers from stopping someone openly carrying a handgun solely because they were carrying a handgun has been removed by the Conference Committee. However, some legislators argued earlier this week that court rulings already prohibit such investigatory stops.
Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), the Senate sponsor of the bill, said “I am thrilled that we were able to come to an agreement and finally pass licensed open carry today,” in a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas. “This was my top priority of the session and I worked hard to address law enforcement concerns while working to strengthen our Second Amendment Rights.”
“Our state legislature has not made such a substantial change to our gun policy in more than 20 years when former Senator Jerry Patterson passed licensed concealed carry, and I was truly honored to carry this critical legislation,” Estes continued. “I couldn’t have done this without the strong leadership of Lt. Governor Patrick and the overwhelming support from my colleagues in the Senate and the House.”
Senator Estes confirmed the Dutton Amendment was not necessary because it was simply a “restatement of current constitutional law.
Chairman Larry Phillips was the author of HB 910. He was unavailable for comment at the time this article was published.
The conference report and the final version of the bill are attached below.
The bill now moves on to Governor Abbott for signature.
As long as the Permits ARE NOT made “public record” or go into a public gun registry. The background check is NOT debated because it will (SHOULD) eliminate felons and such. I have a state Carry Permit that is legal in several other states but I carry open in my duty holster and dress neat. Never had a problem or 2d look when I went into a restaurant or gas station. LOOKING cowboy or thug may have had several problems.