Causes.com
| 10.28.22
The Impact of Texas' Permitless Carry Law
How do you feel about more states adopting the permitless carry law?
What’s the story?
- A recent Texas gun law has allowed handgun owners to carry without training or obtaining permits. Since going into effect last September, police forces have stated their worries about a newly armed public.
- While soon-to-be 25 states allow permitless concealed carry, Texas is one of the most populous states in the U.S., making the acceptance of permitless handguns a new fact of life for a significant portion of Americans.
- Statewide shooting statistics have yet to be released since the law was enacted, however, law enforcement officers are reporting an increase in the number of guns they encounter.
- In and around Houston, prosecutors are receiving a growing number of cases involving gun brandishing or shootings over parking spots, poor driving, loud music, and personal relations. El Paso is seeing a rising number of people legally bringing guns to parties and opening fire. In the town of Eagle Pass, more and more drunken arguments are escalating into shootings. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez of Harris County, which includes Houston, commented:
“It seems like now there’s been a tipping point where just everybody is armed.”
- Metropolitan police departments and major law enforcement agencies opposed the handgun law when it was before the State Legislature in the spring of 2021. These groups worried about losing training requirements necessary for a permit as conditions could become more dangerous for officers. These concerns were overthrown by gun rights activists arguing that Texans should not need the state’s permission to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
The continued gun debate in Texas
- The Republican state is continuously debating more than just handgun licensing gun laws — gun control advocates have pushed to raise the age limit to purchase an AR-15-style rifle after the elementary school shooting in Uvalde.
- Debate especially flared up after a federal court in Texas found that a state law prohibiting adults under 21 from carrying a handgun was unconstitutional. Gov. Greg Abbot (R-TX) gave his approval:
“What I believe in is that the Second Amendment provides certain rights, and it provides those rights to adults.”
The national debate
- The disposal of gun regulations is bringing on a national argument about crime. While the effect of allowing more people to carry guns legally is extensively debated, a recent series of studies have found a link between laws that are lenient on handgun possession and regional crime. Some are raising the possibility that more guns lead to more thefts of weapons and more shootings by the police. Stanford Law School professor John J. Donohue III weighed in:
“The weight of the evidence has shifted in the direction that more guns equals more crime.”
- Michael Mata, president of a local police union in Dallas, reported that he has seen no increase in violent crime since the new permitless carry law, adding that there are “absolutely” more guns on the street. Many other law enforcement officers feel that the connection between the new law and spontaneous shootings is quite apparent.
How do you feel about more states adopting the permitless carry law?
-Jamie Epstein
(Photo Credit: iStock.com / Rdlamkin)
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Nothing much more scary than a few well-marbled good ol' boy wanna-be Rambos enjoying a beer or two and then walking around with unregulated semi-automatic weapons in public venues!
And just how stupid can State legislators become?
We have Herschel Walker leading in polls for a US Senate position. That makes as much sense as Rapheal Warnock being a first round NFL draft pick for a team needing a qualified running back.
And just how stupid can the uninformed MAGA-nut electorate become.
I feel that our Republican governance is getting ready to win this decade's top Darwin Award.
This is the result of the attitude and perspective that drives Texas' gun laws:
https://apple.news/Akts6smkaTpaZQNzvI9zHvA
Governor Younkin finds the attempted murder of Paul Pelosi humorous. Welcome to the Republican Party, SIEG HEIL!
I'd be curious to see what Darwin would have to say about it.
I was interested in this storyline. As a second amendment person even though I don't actually own a gun any more since being diagnosed with PTSD I sold my last gun and gave my daughter my shotgun that my wife father gave me two days before he died in 1978.
I believe in this one law with two exceptions. I believe that a safety course should be required and I believe that the age of 21 would also ensure a little more maturity.
We put ages on such things as voting which is a constitutional right of 18 years old. It use to be 21 years old until the year of 1971 when I turned 21 years old.
Though not a constitutional right drinking alcohol until 21 years old. Driving a motor vehicle is restricted by an age determined by the state. I was in upstate NY when I got married at age 20 actually home on Leave just before I went to Vietnam and my mother had to sign for me to get married since I was not 21. These ages law to get married are set by the state.
The good thing about people can conceal carry is the crook can not just pick any victim as anyone including that little old lady might be armed.
One commercial on tv was kind of cute, it is in like a small country store or wine store and someone opens a bottle of champagne or wine and the sound of the cork popping sound like a gun being shot. All at once about 20 guns are pointing at the sound. If that had been a mass shooter he would have had 20 or more bullets in him.
Again I would like to see a age and a weapons class required before being able to conceal carry. This is just a safety thing. Coming back from Vietnam at age 21 years old and stationed at Fort Polk Louisiana when hunting season came 3 months later I bought a shotgun and to hunt on the military reservation you had to have a hunters safety course and a hunting license. I tagged my first deer that year. My wife was hunting with me and she had hunted with her dad and brother for years up in NY state.
Not sure. Am I the female that only has a piece of paper between me and an ex or stalker that has threatened my life or loved ones and there's no way the police can get to me in time OR am I the bullied teen that's had enough
I live in Indiana and I dont have a problem with our law because, it was up to Indiana to decide the law. If I didnt like it, then I might think about moving. But, since I am pro 2A, I think I will continue to feel more safe while out in public and out in my neighborhood.
A Johns Hopkins study found shootings increased by 12.9% in 10 US states that relaxed restrictions between 2014 and 2020 on civilians carrying concealed firearms in public.
January 2023, Alabama will become the 25th state that isn't requiring permits to carry a gun in public. During 2022, Indiana, Georgia and Ohio stopped requiring permits.
4 of 10 states (ID, MO, MS, WV) had significantly higher average rates of officer-involved shootings after dropping permit-to-carry requirements.
States that require a license can determine what kinds of training standards or additional criminal history criteria should be used. Permitless guns removes standards and creates an opportunity for untrained or risky individuals to carry guns in public.
States that have weakened their gun safety laws have had a 15% increase in violent crime and an 11% in handgun homicide rates.
https://everytownresearch.org/rankings/
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/study-finds-link-between-dropping-permit-requirement-for-carrying-concealed-weapons-and-increase-in-officer-involved-shootings-with-civilian-victims
https://www.everytown.org/press/permitless-carry-causes-more-shootings-by-police-homicides-research-says/
https://www.statista.com/chart/amp/20047/gun-carry-laws-in-us-states/
who cares how I ''feel''- lets look at the stats. mass shootings in Texas are up, by as much as 60%. the proof is in the pudding. more guns don't make you safe.
So long as those who choose to carry firearms understand that they are still liable to the rest of the laws and responsibilities of doing so. Those who cannot or will not soon find themselves wishing they had.
Take a good look at Texas' record of increased gun violence due to this ridiculous law. U.S. citizens have the right to own a firearm for hunting and home protection but not to own weapons of war used for mass killings. Sooner or later people will have enough of drive-by and school shootings and value their children more than guns.
After the tragic shootings in El Paso, Sutherland Springs, Santa Fe and most recently Uvalde, how does this make us safer????
CAUSES ASKS: How do you feel about more states adopting the permitless carry law?" ME: VERY, VERY ANGRY. Bad enough that some states don't require a gun permit at all, that some allow concealed carry with no or nearly no training, that some allow normal gun permits with little or no investigation of the one requesting the permit -- this is scary as hell and there are some states I WILL NOT ENTER. Period. When Colorado issued concealed carry permits (little training requied and one can OPENLY carry firearms here) -- and I know people with them -- I thought to myself, "Great. Now I've no idea whether the person next to me is, or isn't a reasonable person with a gun in his/her pocket." The international data is long-standing and to the point: America has more guns than people, and gun violence in America is greater than in most other countries in the world , including some that are notorious for violence (Mexico, e.g.). Amongst its First World peer countries, it is MAGNITUDES greater.
Until guns are removed from people and intelligent gun laws emphasising the FIRST clause of the Second Amendment (as it used to be unitl Heller v. McDonald, 2008) instead of the second, gun violence in America will only get worse -- maybe there will even come a time when I NEVER go to the store at all.
https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/gun-deaths-by-country
https://www.healthdata.org/acting-data/gun-violence-united-states-outlier
MORE GUNS = MORE VIOLENCE
Stricter gun laws needed.
Ban all assualt weapons in all states
Backgroung checks and red flag laws in all states
Marking on items needed for "ghost" guns so they can be traced.
I look forward to the day when guns are banned in the US. Guns ARE the problem in causing deaths and injuries in this country. It is beyond ridiculous that instead of finding a way to restrict the proliferation of guns, the governor of Texas now wants to give parents DNA kits so as to be able to identify their children after their heads are blown off by AR15s. Permitless carry is only going to make this problem worse. However, we should not kid ourselves that having a permit is the answer. Even if a person passes a background check, there is no guaranty that at some point in the future they will not use the gun to kill others. So background checks and permits are not the answer. The answer is NO GUNS!
Texas has permitless carry laws and the highest gun violence rates in the country. Maybe there is a correlation there, the Guns Over People party would like you to ignore this fact. They would also like you to ignore the fact that without needed permits felons can obtain guns. Vote for candidates with your lives in mind.
My senators and Representatives, I know my opinion means nothing to you and facts mean even less but the evidence is clear having guns more available and easily carried leads to more gun violence. Do you know how we know this? Look at US history in regards to gun violence and the prevalence of guns, more guns equal more probability in gun violence. Then look at the rest of the world the same story unfolds countres with more guns more violence and countries like Canada and those in Europe where guns are heavily regulated and guess what? Gun violence is dramatically low in comparison to the US. So what is our problem? It's clear. But the way you have voted for years tells me you don't care.... I don't know how many people have to die to make you see our country is sick and major problem is leadership. So lead.
Vichy today, instigating more violence against the Pelosi's:
"The only way this guy got in was he was let in. If not, then show us the security videos of him breaking in."
He was "let in", sez shit-poster.
Shit-poster is now aggressively promoting the gay lover lie, @bart @causes
this is a tragedy waiting to happen. hey thin blue line supporters, if the police are worried about it, you should be too.
Need more gun control, not more guns...
Permitless carry laws will incease the murder rate aleast one hundred fold.
This serves the single purpose of selling more guns and making gun company execs richer. More permitless carry means more shootings which mean more guns sold. I worked for Smith and Wesson and it was the most exhausting job I've ever had, one of the lowest paying, and one with no job security. Only the ultra rich benefit from this.
I own two guns. One is a "blow gun" with darts which I cannot use since I am now a "neck breather" with COPD. The other is a pellet gun which requires an air cartridge to make it shoot pellets which I don't have, the air cartridge that is. Neither require a permit to carry yet both can be fatal if the right items are used. I am not a fan of guns yet I have been taught how to use and care for them. Reason? Self defence and hunting. I'm too damn old to go hunting any more and as for self defence, I have many knives, other than what is in my kitchen, at my disposal which I am very familiar with using. All are kept very sharp. It is my personal oponion that permits for guns should be on the books and to obtain one there should be no evidence of violent behavior and at the minimum , three separate psych evaluations berfore issuing. Asault weapons are not needed for hunting and only for self defence if being attacked by more than 5 or 6 individuals. All guns should be registered and should one come up missing, must be reported ASAP if for no other reason than to protect the owner against negligence. A shotgun with shells loaded with rock salt and aimed at the groin would deter any attacker. Not only would it be painful as hell but the embarrasment of explaining how it got into your arse, testicles, and penis would be a dead give-a-way. On the other hand, going permitless is an easy way to reduced over populated areas by allowing the population to kill each other off. Less mouths to feed, fewer homes to provide, reduced medical attention which will put more power in the hands of the elite who wish to rule over all of us. Guess that's life. Have a good day and think twice before voting.
That is simply stupid.
Ever since the NRA was corrupted into a lobbyist, political organization (to promote lagging sales of guns and ammo) there is no "safe place" national organization to teach Gun Safety unles you are lucky enough to have a 4H extension agent/program for hunter safety and marksmanship. Otherwise there are just some independant small groups that will have some little training program.
ANYONE buying/owning a gun needs to have competent training and the best way they can get this and be CERTIFIED "SAFE" is by PERMITS.
Just Look at this idiot (MASSIE)...so FEARFUL...that he's armed his whole family. To Do What? massacre a field of deer? Don't you need a permit for that too? (I have to wonder if all that "hardware" was a "gift" from the Manufacturers...because there is SO MUCH GRIFT and CORRUPTION.)
This is a terrible idea!
It's scary to think that, while you have to have a permit to build a deck, drive a car, go fishing, go hunting, or fly a plane, you don't need one to carry a gun in public. It's okay to have a home owners' association that will tell you how tall your mailbox can be, what type of plants you can have in your yard, and what color your siding can be, but keep your laws off a 'tool' that can easily kill someone and tragically does on a regular basis.
It's a prescription for disaster!