Texas has some of the most flexible gun laws in the United States, of which the leader of the “lone star state” is proud.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed several laws last year to further ease restrictions, including the ease of carrying a gun in public.
He described the killing of 19 children and two adults in a shooting at a Texas school as “incomprehensible”.
An 18-year-old man, who was shot dead by police, is believed to have committed the atrocity with a pistol and possibly a rifle.
This is what we know about gun laws in Texas.
Who Can Buy a Gun in Texas?
There are two ways to legally buy a gun in Texas: at a private sale or from a dealer with a federal firearms license.
People 18 and older can buy a gun from another Texas resident at a private sale.
A private sale has few restrictions:
- No background check
- No sales record
- No permission required
However, the rules are different for distributors.
Distributors can only sell one gun to people 21 years of age or older.
However, dealers may sell a long arm, such as a rifle or shotgun, to people 18 years of age or older.
A person who purchases a weapon from a dealer must show a valid ID, such as a driver’s license, and undergo a real-time background check.
There is no waiting period to buy a gun from a gun dealer in Texas.
There is no state gun record in Texas.
A law introduced in September 2021 also allows people between the ages of 18 and 21 to apply for a gun license if they are under threat of domestic violence.
Who can’t buy a gun in Texas?
A person cannot buy a gun in Texas if it is:
- Under 18 years
- Convicted of a crime and on parole
- Subject to a domestic violence order
- In the country illegally or with a non-immigration visa
- Disgracefully discharged from the army
- A psychiatric patient
- A fugitive from justice
- Using illegal drugs
A person convicted of a crime in Texas cannot buy a gun if he or she has been released from prison or has been on parole for the past five years.
A person cannot buy a firearm on behalf of another person.
What is the constitutional transfer?
“Constitutional cover” means that a person 21 years of age or older may carry a handgun without a Door License permit.
The weapon can be hidden or “carried open,” meaning it is visibly carried in a holster.
Mr. Abbott passed it on June 17, 2021, as well as several other laws to ease gun control in his state.
“Texas will always be the leader in advocating for the Second Amendment, so we built a barrier around gun rights,” Abbott said.
Prior to June 2021, a person in Texas did not need a permit to wear a long hidden arm.
Half of the 50 states in the United States have passed laws that allow for “constitutional production.”
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What is a license to carry?
A transportation license (LTC) is a permit that allows a person to carry a gun in public.
Requires a person to undergo a background check, four to six hours of classroom training, pass a written exam, and pass a shooting proficiency test.
A person with an LTC should not undergo a subsequent background check when purchasing a gun from a licensed firearms dealer in Texas.
What is Greg Abbott’s record in gun control?
Greg Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court judge and Texas attorney general, is a long-term opponent of gun control.
As governor, Abbott has overseen the passage of laws that make it easier to get a gun in Texas.
He is due to speak Friday at a National Rifle Association (NRA) leadership forum in Houston alongside former U.S. President Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
The NRA gave Abbott an “A +” rating ahead of the Republican primary in March this year.
This is what NRA Political Victory Fund President Jason Ouimet said about him:
“As both Attorney General and Governor, Abbott has tenaciously defended the rights of the second amendment of all law-abiding Texans.
“Its significant impact on the advancement of gun rights cannot be overstated, as Texas has become a role model for other states.”
Abbott was re-elected as Republican candidate and will face Democrat Beto O’Rourke in the Nov. 8 election.
He has been governor since January 2015.
Mr Abbott’s October 2015 tweet, in which he encouraged Texans to “speed up the pace” of being the number one in the nation for the purchase of new weapons, often reappears after mass shootings.
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