Texas Bill Proposed to Allow Open Carry of Handguns - 2013 Legislative Session

I had no idea so many other states allowed some form of Open Carry but Texas of all places does not!

from article on Dallas Morning News by Wayne Slater:

The Legislature passed a law in 1995 allowing Texans to carry handguns concealed under coats, in purses, or in glove compartments. But it’s still against the law to carry pistols where people can see them.

Rep. George Lavender, a Texarkana Republican, wants to change that. When the Legislature convenes in January, he says, he will push for an “open carry” law. His plan is to give the more than 500,000 Texans who hold concealed-weapon licenses the option of carrying holstered pistols out in the open.

Lavender said he finds it ironic that freedom-loving Texas is one of just six states not to allow some form of open carry. The others are Illinois, New York, Arkansas, South Carolina and Florida. An open-carry law went into effect in Oklahoma on Nov. 1.

Lavender and other gun rights advocates argue that law-abiding citizens openly carrying pistols in public places pose a deterrent to criminals.

“This is Texas, and we should be the leader,” said Lavender, who was re-elected without opposition on Nov. 6. Support for his proposal, he said, “is very wide and deep. I think we are fixing to get there.”

read rest of the article here:
http://pushjunction.com/l/CTM