There is a new bill up for consideration:

House Bill 375 — authored by State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford — is known as “constitutional carry” and it would make the licensing process and classes to obtain a permit optional. The idea, according to Stickland, is that Texans shouldn’t be forced to take a course and pay a fee to exercise their Second Amendment rights. If passed, Texas would be the 11th state to allow constitutional carry.

For the people that don't have a CCL will you carry just because everyone else is strapped up? I know we can all carry in our auto, if nothing else Texas may just get a whole lot more polite. what's the name of that insurance company that covers lawyers etc. when you are involved in a shooting.

I can see the Herd getting thinned out & police a lot more wary of dealing with anyone. Soccer moms twisting off, drunks and dopers carrying and flashing. Back to the old west: high noon in the middle of the street. Someone capping a bad guy then everyone shooting at the wrong person. people being hit by strays(this is already happening). So if you don't carry you will always be at the mercy of all who do. Have to think long and hard about this. It would be kind of a drag to have to sling my AR or shotgun just to go to Mickey Dees because if everyone is carry a pistol I will be carrying a AR screw that little popgun.

What's actually funny if you look back in history of the old west they had fairly strict gun control: no concealed carry / check your guns with the sheriff or leave them at the stable / no discharging fire arms in town etc etc

You do realize that there are already a few states that have Constitutional Carry, and they do not have shoot outs and crime has not increased because of it, right? The left claimed this would happen with open carry here in Texas and guess what. It didn't happen. Don't fall for the propaganda.

Second amendment is pretty clear when it says "shall not be infringed". Fees, restrictions, licenses, and classes are an infringement. It seems like its the only Constitutional right where we have to pay fees and take classes or obtain a license to exercise that right. Could you imagine the uproar if you were forced to pay fees, take classes, and obtain a license to exercise your right to free speech, or religion, or how about your right to vote??? So why are so many OK with fees, licenses, and classes to exercise our right to bear arms??

I'm ok with paying MY fees...I'm not a strict constitutionalist. I do not want to give criminals or terrorists open avenues to buy guns. A lot has changed since 1794....kids weren't given adderal at 5 yrs old... criminals were subject to cruel and inhumane punishment. There has to be some sort of infringement today.

Johnathan is my Legislator and bills that he proposes go nowhere. Why? because he doesn't play the GAME. He votes for what is good for the people and not for the big businesses. In other words, he's honest in a sea of crooks. He sent out some mail a couple of years ago with his cell phone # asking for public input. I called, he answered and we talked. According to his Campaign Manager, the cell # is still good but I never use it or talk to him. A young guy who isn't a Lawyer with no college degree. Yep, I vote for him every time but he is the most disliked Leg in Austin. Kinda like Ted Cruz in Washington.

^This. If it passes it will be no big deal. There won't be shootouts in the streets everyday. Before CHL/OC the liberals were screaming to high hell that this would bring back the old west and the exact opposite has happened. We discussed this in another thread but the CHL shooting test is a complete joke. I do support the classroom portion because it at least gets people familiar with the laws which is a good thing. I don't there will be a noticeable difference though. Criminals are going to carry guns no matter if they are allowed to or not so really we are back to punishing law abiding citizens with any of these laws.