Texas Legislature on Gun Control

In early January, the Texas Legislature proposed HB 700, a state-level initiative to expand gun control laws where people who own guns and have concealed permits would be able to carry them in plain sight. According to Parker (2013), this initiative was first proposed by State Representative George Lavender. It was drafted in early January of 2013 and would not go into effect until September 1, 2013 (Texas Legislature, 2013). While this policy is only a state-level initiative, it was written in order to combat the federal government’s proposed gun control laws after a recent series of shootings involving schools and children. 

Intent of the Policy

The intent of the policy is to expand gun control laws to those that carry concealed weapons permits. The proposed legislation would not change anything with respect to the way in which someone attains a firearm or qualifies for one. However, the law does stipulate that once someone attains a concealed weapons permit, they do not have to conceal it (Texas Legislature, 2013). Under this proposed law, it is designed to expand one’s freedom to exercise the rights of the second amendment: the right to bear arms. On a practical level, it is also designed to offer more personal safety to individuals that are out in public. 

Arguments Against the Policy

Clearly, one of the biggest parties against this initiative is President Barack Obama and his team of legislators. In another recent proposal, the federal government has worked towards controlling gun ownership through a series of laws and measures (Stein, 2013). His committee cited that the major cons of expanded gun ownership laws include intrusions on personal safety and the liability of illegal guns on the street. Moreover, Stein (2013) remarked that a senior administration official from the White House sees tighter gun control as a great way of limiting the options that dangerous people have for getting assault rifles and weapons: “We are going to limit it to the manufacturing of assault weapons and clips going forward” (para. 12). Clearly, the administration sees that there are many cons for society with the availability of weapons, especially visible weapons. The opposing party also noted that concealed weapons permits are not conducive to a higher level of personal safety. 

Arguments for the Policy

A major supporter of the policy, the NRA, cited that expanded gun laws allow people to better protect themselves while tighter laws hinder personal safety. A spokesman for the NRA remarked that "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, 2013, para. 3). The NRA supported this policy because they believe that allowing people to carry guns will do more to foster personal safety and enforce a culture of fear against attacking innocent civilians, especially in public places. Mainly, the NRA has been outspoken about explaining how Obama’s policies will be ineffective because they have not worked in the past. 

Efficacy of Intended Policy

The potential efficacy of this bill is still heavily undetermined because it has not passed and few other states have implemented such policies to its full extent. However, the NRA has shown through its research on the matter that limiting guns to tighter control will not reduce crime. In fact, such laws would be counter-productive for the true goal at hand, ensuring people’s right to arms and personal safety (Saenz, 2013). Either way, legislators in Texas are going to have to deal with the authority of the federal government in making this law come to fruition and then stand the test of the courts.

References

Parker, K. (2013, January 24). Open Carry bill latest proposal to expand gun laws in Texas. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2013/01/open-carry-bill-latest-proposal-to-expand-gun-laws-in-texas/

Saenz, A. (2013, January 10). Gun control after Sandy Hook Elementary: Biden meets with NRA, which blasts White House for going after Second Amendment. ABC News. Retrieved http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/sandy-hook-elementary-biden-includes-nra-wal-mart-background-checks/story?id=18174779

Stein, S. (2013, January 24). Obama gun control proposals unveiled, marking biggest legislative effort in a generation. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/obama-gun-control-proposals_n_2486919.html

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