With the passing of House Bill 1927, Texans who are 21 years old or older and have no felony or domestic violence convictions are no longer required to go through any training or have a license to openly carry a handgun in most public spaces within the state.
“Most police officers and agencies, when this law was first on the books, didn't really think it was going to pass, but it passed,” said Anthony Hurse, the public information officer for the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. “Is it something to worry about when it comes to firearms? Of course, but it only heightens or allows us to ... be better observant.”
In response to the law, the BCSO has reviewed how to approach individuals that have a firearm, making sure they take the appropriate precautions, Hurse said.
Meanwhile, the Pearland Police Department covered the legislation and was trained on the details of those laws, but it is not something that is completely new to the department, Public Information Officer Jason Wells said.
“We’re always going to be safe and cautious,” Wells said. “We’re definitely going to respect the law and all the community’s rights, but we are going to enforce the laws that are on the books right now. For the Pearland Police Department, it is pretty much going to be business as usual.”
From a gun sales perspective, there has not been a drastic change since the law went into effect, said Matt Fleming, owner of Best Shot Range in Friendswood, in an email.
“I believe the impact will be minimal,” Fleming said. “The vast majority of gun owners are law-abiding citizens that have made a personal choice to provide for their security. ... Criminals don’t care about gun laws and have little motivation to follow them.”
The BCSO anticipates there will be more people carrying guns openly, which some might not be used to, and could lead to more 911 calls that tie up lines and make call to service lag because they have to investigate those calls, Hurse said.
While Texans may no longer need a permit to carry a handgun, Hurse recommends that anyone who chooses to carry a firearm get training, so they can know how to handle a gun and learn of the safety aspects of carrying in public and around people.
Best Shot Range offers a constitutional carry class, which is a two- to three-hour class that focuses on training and instruction for learning to shoot, and reviews the Texas gun law as an alternative to the license to carry course that is four to six hours long. But the class has seen minimal interest, Fleming said.
“We anticipate it will be a little bit different, but for law enforcement in general, we approach every situation with quite a bit of caution to ensure everyone’s safety—not just our own but the community’s as well,” Wells said.
