DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS: Campus Carry Clears One More Hurdle on Journey to Passage in TX Legislature
Concealed carry on campus is on its way to becoming a reality.
The bill in the Texas House that would allow gun owners with concealed handgun licenses (CHL) to carry concealed handguns on public colleges and universities is one step closer to passage and becoming law. The Campus Carry Bill (HB 937) was passed out of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee.
HB 937 was filed in January by State Representative Allen Fletcher (R-Cypress) as a companion bill to SB 11 which passed out of the Senate earlier in March. Like the Senate bill, HB 937 was passed along a straight party-line vote of 9-3 in the committee.
Breitbart Texas previously reported on the House committee hearing on March 18th, where Chairman Larry Phillips (R-Sherman) received testimony from supporters and opponents of the bill. College students and professors spoke both in favor of and against the bill’s passage. Chairman Phillips responded to claims that campus police and city police chiefs oppose the bills by reminding people that those police officials are employed by mayors and college officials who are opposed to the bills. He also reminded people that most law enforcement officials were against the original concealed carry laws and later found that most of their fears never came to reality.
The bill in the House was amended to reflect the changes made in SB 11 on the Senate floor. The primary change in language is to preclude open carry on campus should the bill allowing open carry for CHL holders be passed into law. Once HB 937 reaches the House floor, the bills five authors and 39 coauthors give the bill a great start towards passage with over half of the 76 votes needed.
Read more: Breitbart
