Open Carry of Handguns in Texas

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    Texas State Legislature and Texas Governor Rick Perry
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We hold that all citizens who may lawfully purchase a handgun be allowed to carry openly in public in the State of Texas except for those places prohibited by law. We also call for state preemption of all handgun laws concerning open carry in Texas.

1. Every individual has the right and responsibility to defend their self against unjustified threats of death or serious bodily injury.

2. The Constitution of the United States guarantees the right of individuals to keep and bear arms.

3. Criminals are not deterred by rules, regulations, and laws forbidding the possession of weapons. A man bent on mass murder will not be stopped by a rule forbidding him to have a gun.

4. It is well known that the requirement to conceal a handgun for the purpose of protecting self, friends, and family can be difficult especially in Texas with our extreme heat since a person will usually have to wear a jacket to properly conceal a handgun and to avoid "printing."

5. The requirement to conceal a handgun can make it difficult to draw the weapon should the life of the carrier or the life of someone else be in danger.

6. A criminal will not open carry a weapon because he does not want to draw attention to himself. We believe that a citizen openly carrying a handgun lawfully will be a deterrent for crime.

7. Ten states including Arizona, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, and Wyoming all allow open carry of handguns without a license. Twelve states including Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and Tennessee allow open carry of handguns with a license. In fact, Texas is one of only SIX states in the entire United States that completely bans open carry of handguns.

8. In these states, Open carry is very common and it does not alarm law enforcement or other citizens.

For the foregoing reasons, we residents of the State of Texas affirm and assert that all citizens who may lawfully purchase a handgun be allowed to carry openly in public in the State of Texas except for those places prohibited by law. We also call for state preemption of all handgun laws concerning open carry in Texas.

77433 Signatures

  • Bryant H
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • as a current CHL holder I would appreciate the option of open or concealed carry
  • R. L. D
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • A CHL should also allow "Open Carry"
  • G-No B
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • 100\% Disabled Veteran
  • JAMES S
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Brian J S
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Charles Messer I
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • This makes a lot of sense, because there are some that can not afford the expense of obtaining a CCW License.
  • John S
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Abigail R
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Chad J L
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Richard W
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • David D
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Brent C
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Mel P
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • I belive it's good way to have options, just in case it happens to show at least you're not violating any laws.
  • Thomas L Burnett, J
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Darrell W
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Gary C
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Dr. Frank H
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Brad V
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • I think it is a good idea to give someone the right to choose whether they would like to open carry or not. This state was once its own Republic and that was in part to citizens banning together to protect this great state, now we should carry to protect our lives from a different enemy, Crime!!
  • John C. M
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Charles E. P
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • David S. B
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Wylie Daniel D
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • DTUBB
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • ALREADY A CCL HOLDER
  • Roger R
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Jerry K
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • Make it so!!!!!!!!
  • jeff s
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Douglas L. Y
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Lynn R
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Shaun D
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • As a valid CHL holder, I believe that the right to open carry should be permitted
  • Stan B
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Brent H
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Patrick R
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • Please afford the people of Texas their 2nd amendment rights.
  • Thomas H
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Jerry M
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • will be good law
  • David M
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Larry J
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • shane p
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Bryan F
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • This would be another excellent step forward for a state known to put the rights of the law abiding ahead of that of the criminal.
  • Joey K
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Bob G
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Bob G
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Andrea J
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Timothy E C
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • David C
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Carl W. B
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • nevelle m
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Derek M
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Tim D
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • Duane S
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
  • John N
    • Are you a resident of the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of Texas?
    • No
    • Comments
    • it's my pleasure