BEAUMONT, Texas —
Gov. Greg Abbott signed seven laws into effect yesterday including House Bill 1927, which allows permitless carry for Texans who are 21 and older.
Starting Sept. 1, Texans can carry handguns without a license or training.
“It really just removed the permit requirement,” Nederland Police Sgt. Cody Corkran, said. “As long as you are still legally able to possess a firearm, you do not have to have the license to carry anymore."
Corkran said that there are still safety measures in place to keep Texans safe.
While the law allows more people to carry guns, there is an amendment to the bill that allows officers to ask if a person is carrying.
“Anytime you purchase a firearm, you are going to have to go through a background check,” he said. “If you have the license to carry, that makes the process easier.”
Corkran said he believes law-abiding citizens will carry responsibly, and that he does not think a lot will change for him or his fellow officers.
“They changed it from a concealed carry, to a license to carry and now it is just a constitutional carry," he said. "Your law-abiding citizens are going to carry the right way and do the right thing."
Officers in larger Texas cities have made their opposition to the bill crystal clear.
The bill also eliminates training requirements however, licensed instructors encourage those who choose to carry to get proper training.
“It is still a good idea to seek out training,” Josh Dempsey, Red Lion Tactics license to carry instructor, said. “It is still a good idea to get certified on the caliber, the weapon and the gun that you are going to want to carry to protect yourself and others,”
Dempsey said he is focused on helping people understand the new law.
“The same that way police officers do in the academy and the same that we do in the licensed to carry courses, you have to put in the time you have to sit down and actually go through every law step by step,” he said.