Open Carry - Page 4

The presence of a gun rights group at the Texas State Capitol during President Obama’s visit to the SxSW festival elicited members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense to call for gun violence against the group. Among other incitements to violence, “Just shoot them all,” and “Shoot the a**bags,” they said.

On February 22, the West Virgina Senate voted 24-9 in support of legislation removing the requirement for a license to carry a concealed handgun in the state.

On February 3, the gun control group Newtown Action Alliance is asking every business in Newtown, Connecticut, to become a gun-free zone.

State senator David Hinkins (R-Orangeville) is pushing to remove the concealed carry permit requirement in Utah because he believes it unfairly burdens the exercise of Second Amendment rights.

On January 7, Baltimore Sun deputy editorial page editor Tricia Bishop penned a column in which she explained that licensed gun owners scare her more than gun-toting criminals.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s response on Twitter to Obama saying he will be imposing more gun control – “COME AND TAKE IT.”

In 1871, the Texas legislature banned carrying guns outside the home–a move largely directed at controlling blacks during the Reconstruction era. That ban was altered in 1995, when Texas adopted the concealed carry of handguns, yet a prohibition against openly carrying handguns in public remained on the books. It took the Republican-controlled 2015 Texas legislature and Governor Greg Abbott (R) to abolish that final prohibition, thereby making it legal to carry handguns openly in public in the Lone Star State–and achieving liberty for all.

With Texas’ new handgun open carry law going into effect on January 1, six businesses have taken pains to be sure Texans understand that open carry of handguns will not be tolerated in their businesses.

To read local and national news, one could draw a conclusion that Texan’s are more concerned about the coming open carry law that they are about tornadoes, floods and blizzards. Perhaps the reality is it is the media that is more concerned about the change in Texas gun laws.

With open carry of handguns in Texas set to become law on January 1, First Baptist Church of Arlington has decided to allow congregants with concealed licenses to carry openly in church buildings if they so choose.

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is claiming victory in Texas because H-E-B Grocery stores have made clear they will only allow hidden handguns in their stores.

Texas’ homegrown grocery chain, H-E-B, announced it will forbid the open carry of firearms in their 316 stores when the law changes later this week. On Friday, Texas law will change to allow holders of a Concealed Handgun License to openly carry handguns that are secured by belt or shoulder holsters.

Virginia state senator Bill Carrico (R-Dist. 40) is responding to Governor Terry McAuliffe’s (D) relentless gun control push by introducing a budget amendment to remove funding for McAuliffe’s protection detail.

H-E-B grocers in Texas have put signage on their doors barring openly carried handguns, while Kroger says they will simply abide by the new law which will allow openly carried handguns, beginning January 1.

On December 13, protesters with AR-15s slung over their shoulders crashed a Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America rally in Missoula, Montana.

With the Texas open carry law set to go into effect January 1, 2016, there are now 45 states with open carry laws, and Florida is vying to be number 46.

On November 13, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (R) vowed to veto a bill designed to allow individuals with an enhanced concealed carry permit to carry in numerous public gun-free zones.

On November 10 the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence’s Josh Horwitz called on Colorado Springs to defy state law and end open carry within city limits.

Republican lawmakers in Florida and Michigan are currently pushing legislation to make it legal for concealed pistol license (CPL) holders to carry guns on college and university campuses for self-defense.

Representative Alcee Hastings (D-FL) called his own state “crazy” for considering open carry, and joked that if he bought a billboard saying “Negro Gun Show Next Friday” “that would be the end of damn gun shows” on Tuesday’s broadcast of

On October 15, Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) signed executive order number 50 banning the open carry of firearms in state buildings used by the Virginia executive branch and calling for enforcement to ensure that the only people “in the business” of selling guns in Virginia are those with a Federal Firearm License (FFL).

With Florida Republicans working anew to pass legislation that will make it legal for women to be armed against sexual predators on campus, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey stresses that Campus Carry is part of exercising the Second Amendment. He believes Open Carry is part of exercising the Second Amendment too.

Huffington Post recently reported a list of 7 companies “that don’t want guns in their stores.” However, three of those companies allow concealed carry, and one of these three allows open carry as well.

Ann Arbor resident Joshua Wade is suing the University of Michigan for prohibiting him for openly carrying his handgun on campus.

On July 8, Maine Governor Paul LaPage (R) signed Legislative Document 652 into law, thereby abolishing the requirement for a concealed carry permit in the state of Maine.

Texas’s top hamburger restaurant chain issued a statement promulgating the prohibition of the open carry of firearms in their establishments.

On June 19, a Puerto Rican commonwealth court abolished the territory’s registry and licensing requirements for firearms, thereby making the Second Amendment the only requisite necessary to carry firearms openly or concealed.

Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 910, the Texas Open Carry Bill for Concealed Handgun Holders, into law. The law becomes effective on January 1, 2016.

On June 12, the St. Louis zoo secured a restraining order barring Jeffery Smith from coming onto their property to open carry a firearm in protest of the facility’s “no weapons” policy.

On June 8, a father was putting gasoline in his car with his daughter beside him when a man allegedly tried to rob them. The father responded by drawing his gun and shooting him.

In a strangely-worded statement at a press conference in McKinney, Texas on Monday, a Dallas pastor appears to warn that open carry laws may lead to terrorism by “us” against law enforcement.

On May 31, the Texas House passed campus carry legislation, which is now headed for Governor Greg Abbot’s (R) desk. The next day, Newsweek reported that the expansion of concealed carry in Texas was “still a win” for Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety.

The Texas House and Senate have adopted the Conference Committee report and passed the open carry bill from both houses. HB 910 will now go on to Governor Greg Abbott to be signed into law.

On May 22, the Texas Senate gave its final approval to House Bill 910: a bill expanding concealed carry to include the Open Carry of handguns in the Lone Star State.

On May 18th, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America’s Angela Turner suggested the Waco shootout between outlaw biker gangs highlights the danger of openly carrying handguns. Governor Greg Abbott (R) responded to this and similar statements by others by pointing out that Open Carry of handguns is not yet legal in Texas, so it could not have been a factor in the criminal incident.

On May 7, the Austin-American Statesman posted video of Austin, Texas, gun store owner Michael Cargill supporting the drive to make Texas the 45th “open carry” state in the union. The video also featured Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo complaining that gun-rights advocates are never satisfied – no matter what laws are passed, or defeated, “it’s never enough” for them.