Gov. Abbott on constitutional carry

[v7a]

From this Texas Monthly interview:

Journalist: There was also talk among some members of so-called constitutional carry. Is that something you would be comfortable with?

Gov. Abbott: What I said is that I would sign the most pro–Second Amendment bill that reached my desk. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Journalist: So the door is open for that in the future?

Gov. Abbott: I am very pro Second Amendment. And the Second Amendment has the end phrase “shall not be infringed,” and I’m a strict constitutionalist.

[juno106]

All the more reason it is imperative to do some RINO hunting before the next session.

Get rid of them in the primaries...

[Beiruty]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

[jimlongley]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

Unfortunately, just like this last go 'round, there will be plenty of noisy idiots claiming that CC and OC really kills lots of people every year and never prevents any crimes.

[K.Mooneyham]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

Of course, felons aren't supposed to have firearms in the first place, though we both know they don't pay attention to that. But, if we were to get unlicensed open carry, the legislature should reiterate that convicted felons, members of criminal gangs, and whatever other specified nasty types are barred from carrying firearms. Seems redundant, or even useless perhaps, but could still be used to help enhance other charges later, as well as to clarify the legislature's intentions.

[jmra]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

Has there been an issue with felons in other states OCing? If so, please provide a link because I sure haven't heard about it. I don't run with the criminal crowd but I'm pretty sure the last thing they want to do is draw unwanted attention by OCing. Making unfounded predictions of what criminals might do is not helpful to our cause.
How do police officers decide if criminals carrying concealed now are criminals? I don't understand how that has anything to do with CHL or OC laws.

[mr1337]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

I don't think gang members OC in any unlicensed OC state, and I don't expect Texas to be any different.

Those people are not going to want the extra attention from cops. They will continue to conceal.

[TXBO]

Unlicensed OC and licensed CC is a good next step. Criminals just don't open carry or use holsters.

[anygunanywhere]

Unlicensed OC and licensed CC is a good next step. Criminals just don't open carry or use holsters.

Reducing prohibited places for CHL is the most important next step. Unlicensed OC is a pipe dream.

[jmra]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

I don't think gang members OC in any unlicensed OC state, and I don't expect Texas to be any different.

Those people are not going to want the extra attention from cops. They will continue to conceal.

Gang members don't OC in unlicensed OC states because OC in those states is so rare its a statistical non-event. OCing would make them stand out like a sore thumb.

[jmra]

Unlicensed OC and licensed CC is a good next step. Criminals just don't open carry or use holsters.

Reducing prohibited places for CHL is the most important next step. Unlicensed OC is a pipe dream.

[Ruark]

Unlicensed OC and licensed CC is a good next step. Criminals just don't open carry or use holsters.

Reducing prohibited places for CHL is the most important next step. Unlicensed OC is a pipe dream.

[srothstein]

I do not agree that the unlicensed OC is a pipe dream, but I certainly agree that our highest priority now should be no prohibited places for CHL by law.

[G.A. Heath]

My current thoughts are that reduced/no off limits locations for license holders should be the next big push, along with improving Campus Carry. Once we get that pushed through we can concentrate on other issues, including but not limited to unlicensed carry. I will say that unlicensed carry is more than likely dead already because OCT has chosen to ratchet up the rhetoric and the LEO encounters. The sad truth of the matter is that to pass unlicensed carry we will need a plan and we will need activist to tear down the stereotypes the anti's have created and not re-enforce them. The two biggest stereotypes we need to fight are the rifle toting Elmer Fudd redneck lost in the big city and the anti-government revolutionary. LEO bating and giving Bloomberg's media video/soundbytes/quotes that help the anti-gun cause is not going to advance the cause. Now if someone will whack Grisham and company over the head with a clue stick we might make some progress.

[Excaliber]

Wait few years and the law would be "enhanced" once people realize that CC and OC is a none issue, things would advance. The only thing that I do not like and I am against is convicted felons and gang members would carry with no penalty or at least no questions asked. I know that they do now. They will open carry if they want to and if they do carry concealed and they were pulled over how the LEO can decide if they are felons with firearms?

Trust me when I say that an experienced LEO can tell the difference between a CHL holder and a felon most of the time just from body language and the look in the person's eyes when he spots the officer. There are also many reasons to stop someone other than for open carry and bad guys tend to be pretty sloppy about not crossing lines. LEO's figure those things out pretty successfully today, and open carry won't diminish their ability to do so.