Laurence said his organization, which represents more than 22,000 Texas law enforcement officers at the state, county and local level, has advised police officers to seek guidance from their departments on how they should approach open carry – and whether they need some evidence or suspicion of criminal activity to ask to see someone’s gun permit.
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It is now legal for people who hold a concealed carry gun license to openly carry a handgun most places in Texas, but there are a handful of restrictions.
Beginning January 1, 2016, anyone holding a Texas Concealed Handgun License (CHL) will be allowed to openly carry his or her handgun in Texas.
But it’s not just government entities grappling with open carry. “This is”, and the crowd responded with loud cheers.
Chances are, after a few weeks when the open-carry law is no longer new, people on both sides of the debate will relax a bit. The legislature gave private businesses that option when it passed the open carry law.
“Initially, we may get calls to dispatchers from people who want to report someone they see that is carrying a handgun”, Wiles said. Grisham asked the crowd.
Texas Carry executive director Terry Holcomb said legislators should examine this aspect of the law.
That won’t be in some big Texas businesses including, H-E-B, Whole Foods and Torchy’s Tacos.
Higginbotham Brothers stores across the state, have posted signs prohibiting the open carrying of handguns.
Store Manager Megan Ruck says, “We don’t think it’s a necessary aspect of our store and what we sell here”.
Walmart says since Open Carry took effect they have had customers openly carry in their stores – and they’ve complied with without incident.
Because many members of the black community in Houston rely on public transportation, there should be some level of preparation and caution, because METRO officials are allowing all passengers to openly carry holstered guns on METRO buses and light rails if they have a permit. He says they will mount their campaign again, next time around.
“As with any legislative change involving law enforcement, we will adjust as necessary to respond to circumstances based on the information available to us and the law in effect at the time”, he said.
“I don’t want to be treated suspect by a place that I’m shopping at”, he told Bloomberg Business.
Earlier in the month, HPD Chief Charles A. McClelland Jr., Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson and Houston City Attorney Donna Edmundson participated in a panel discussion and answered questions from the public on the new Texas Open Carry legislation.
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Like those who have concealed handgun permits, open carry is not allowed on school property, in courthouses or buildings with courthouses in them, on federal property (including post offices), polling locations and businesses that derive 51 percent of their income from alcohol sales (such as bars).
