AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a permitless carry gun bill into law. House Bill 1927 will allow anyone 21 years old or older who can legally possess a firearm in the state to carry a handgun in public without a permit.
House Bill 1927 will allow anyone 21 years old or older who can legally possess a firearm in the state to carry a handgun in public without a permit. Do you think this will make Texas safer?
— KRIS 6 News (@KRIS6News) June 17, 2021
The current state law in Texas requires a license to carry open or concealed handguns. Texas residents can already carry rifles in public without a permit. Supporters of the new law say the licensing requirement prevented some people from their right to bear arms.
Texas joins a handful of other conservative-led states that have passed similar gun rights measures this year.
Some critics of the bill say it eliminates mandatory firearms training that helps protect the public, and makes it more difficult to determine who is unlawfully carrying a weapon.
The bill takes effect September 1, 2021.
