Concealed Gun Bill OKd in Texas
Texans will be allowed to carry concealed handguns for the first time since Wild West days under a bill that won final approval Tuesday from the Legislature.
Republican Gov. George W. Bush promised to sign the measure, saying it would not make Texas a more dangerous place. The law would take effect Jan. 1.
“I think for the first time in our state it says to people who feel like they’ve got to carry a weapon that you better be licensed and trained if you’re going to do so, and pay a fee,” Bush said.
The House approved the bill, 101 to 46, on Tuesday. The Senate had endorsed the measure Friday.
The bill has divided public opinion and police organizations in a state with a legacy of violence dating to the 19th Century. Tired of gunslingers’ actions, Texas legislators in 1871 outlawed the carrying of concealed weapons.
The new bill would allow eligible Texans age 21 and older to obtain licenses to carry concealed guns. Applicants would have to undergo 10 to 15 hours of training and pass a proficiency exam.
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