CONSTITUIONAL CARRY and #TXLEGE: State of Play

"Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me."
Nehemiah 4:18

Jonathan Stickland, Lone Star Gun Rights, and Texas Firearms Celebrity Michael Cargill held a press conference yesterday afternoon to discuss where things stand related to constitutional carry; they were also joined by State Reps Tony Tinderholt, Kyle Biedermann,and Mike Lang:



Highlights:

• Michael Cargill:
• Texas should modernize its 1871 era gun laws.

• Jonathan Stickland:
• New support this session that didn't exist two years ago.
• Wrong to make people pay to excise rights.
• Members have been hearing from constituents.
• New Democrat support; D's may not agree with #2A, but do agree that protectionist licensing harms our most vulnerable citizens.

• Tony Tinderholt:
• Part of the RPT platform.

• Justin Delosh:
• Texas is middle of the pack, at best, on guns.
• 11 states already have constitutional carry.
• Last people said the votes didn't exist for licensed open carry but it ultimately ended up passing; there's still plenty of time for the same thing to happen this session re: Constitutional carry.
• #1 RPT platform plank.

• Q&A:
• House leadership will be overwhelmed with public support.
• This doesn't effect the process by which guns are sold one iota.
• Tom Mechler put out an e-mail saying he supports it.
• CHL is de facto gun owner registration.
• Threatening letters only re-enforce need for #2A.
• Grassroots agitation has reached the point where the political self-preservation instinct of members is kicking in.
• There's a disconnect between the courageous men and women of law enforcement who serve our communities and the "law enforcement" industrial complex at the Capitol.