HB 700 in Texas: Gun Control Policy

Since the recent shootings of Sandy Hook Elementary School and other places around the nation, gun control has come under extreme public scrutiny. Some members of society have actively stated that there needs to be more gun control in our society so that dangerous people do not infringe on everyone’s right to public safety. However, prominent groups in society like the NRA have lobbied and argued for the retention of current gun control laws. This issue has been present in the federal landscape as well as the local one. Texas has been a breeding ground for public outrage and activism. Texas has proposed HB 700, which is an initiative that aims to add more rights to gun owners in terms of being able to carry firearms in the open. While this law is mainly a federal level issue, it is also one that is currently being debated in the State Legislature of Texas. 

HB 700 was proposed in January of 2013 and if passed, will go into effect on September 1, 2013 (“83(R) HB 700…”). The main aspect of this proposal is that if it is passed, then gun owners would not have to conceal their weapons. This means that gun owners who have concealed permits would be allowed to openly carry firearms in plain sight. This proposal is aimed at increasing public safety by sending a clear message that firearms are part of the mainstream culture in Texas and are an effective means of defending public safety. This was first proposed by George Lavender, a State Representative for Texas. There has been public support for this law in the form of local groups that are active in ensuring that the federal government does not impede on the personal rights of people.

This law stems from the second amendment of the United States Constitution. This amendment guarantees American people the right to bear arms. Taking this into context, this law was drafted in the 18th century when there was a dire need to carry weapons and defend against the tyrannical British from imposing wrongful authority over the colonies and newly established United States. However, many have argued that this law does not need to be in place in the 21st century as the threat of the British or the need to enforce personal safety is not as pertinent. Either way, many Americans are calling for the protection of this age-old law as trying to make amendments or laws against it would be technically unconstitutional.

Another major supporter of the law is the National Rifle Association (NRA). This organization has spent lots of time and energy lobbying and acting on behalf of the American people to defend their rights to bear arms. Any threat to this has been vigorously defended by the NRA and will continue to be defended. Many NRA officials have spoken out to say that restricting gun laws will not actively solve the problem of people committing crimes against one another: "everything that's been proposed impinges on people who have every right to own firearms on the one hand and are legitimate honest Americans on the other, but doesn't do much about criminals” (Saenz). Again, the emphasis is on the notion that Americans are responsible enough to carry firearms and the behavior and actions of a few people should not ruin it for the rest of the population. Some studies done by the NRA say that every time gun control laws are implemented in an area, it does not effectively reduce crime rates or stop unwarranted violence from happening. 

This policy’s current status is under review by the State of Texas. During the course of this review period, many locals in the area have actively spoken out in favor of the law. Mainly, the people of Texas have been overwhelmingly supportive of the whole initiative. Many locals have put up signs with witty remarks that comment on how Americans have a right to carry firearms. This shows that the issue has certainly reached the local level to the point that it is influential in impacting public policy. This law may take a few months to completely settle and get passed if it does at all. Finally, if the law were to get passed, then the federal government would still have an opportunity to make it null. Under the United States Constitution, the federal government has supremacy in enacting and enforcing laws, even if that impedes on state laws. Consequently, getting this law passed may be a moot point if the federal government passes legislation. 

HB 700 is a local state-level issue that is under the review of the Texas Legislature. It was first proposed by George Lavender and is being reviewed. If it is passed, then people who have concealed firearms permits will be allowed to carry weapons without the need to hide it. This policy stems back to the 2nd amendment where people were given the right to bear arms in a time that needed the means to ensure civil protection of liberties. However, many have argued that this law is not needed in a modern-day context. The Texas legislature has been overwhelmingly supportive of the law by arguing that honest Americans should be entitled to guns. Also, prominent organizations like the NRA have vowed to support initiatives like these. The federal government would have the power to overthrow such state laws as they have ultimate supremacy when deciding on legislation. This law will be settled in the coming months of 2013.

Works Cited

Saenz, Arlette. "Gun Control After Sandy Hook Elementary: Biden Meets With NRA, Which Blasts White House for Going After Second Amendment." ABC News, 10 Jan. 2013, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/sandy-hook-elementary-biden-includes-nra-wal-mart-background-checks/story?id=18174779.

"83(R) HB 700 - Introduced version - Bill Text." Texas Legislature Online, 20 Jan. 2013. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us