Texas Loosens Firearm Laws, Allows Guns on School Grounds and Churches
Written by SOURCE on September 1, 2019
A set of new firearm laws will be legalized in Texas on Sunday, following another mass shooting in the state that left seven people dead.
Gun restrictions in the state will be even more loosened, even though Texas has had four of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history, CNN reports. Prior to Saturday’s shooting, the shooting in an El Paso Walmart at the beginning of August killed 22 people.
The new measures were passed during the 2019 legislative session, which concluded in June and impacts schools, foster homes, places of worship, and more.
Among the new measures are House Bill 1143, which says a school district can’t ban licensed gun owners—including school employees—from keeping a firearm or ammunition in a locked vehicle on a school parking lot.
House Bill 1387 eases limitations on how many armed school marshals a school district can appoint, while House Bill 2363 permits some foster homes to have firearms and ammunition in a secure place for personal protection.
Senate Bill 535 allows licensed handgun owners to legally carry their weapons in place of worship, a move that comes almost two years after a gunman killed 26 people at Sutherland Springs church.
“We have learned many times over that there is no such thing as a gun-free zone. Those with evil intentions will violate the law and carry out their heinous acts no matter what,” state Sen. Donna Campbell, co-sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “It makes no sense to disarm the good guys and leave law-abiding citizens defenseless where violent offenders break the law to do great harm.”
