REP. ANCHIA REACTS TO ENACTMENT OF OPEN CARRY BILL JANUARY 1ST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liz Zornes
DECEMBER 31, 2015
REP. ANCHIA REACTS TO ENACTMENT OF OPEN CARRY BILL JANUARY 1ST
Texas’ law is the most extreme open carry law in the nation
Dallas – Today, Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas), a long-time advocate of sensible gun safety laws, outlined the reasons for his opposition to HB 910, which takes effect tomorrow and will allow people with Concealed Handgun Licenses to openly carry a handgun in a belt or shoulder holster. The bill passed with overwhelming Republican support during the 2015 legislative session.
“Unlike other states with open carry laws, where individual cities such as Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Memphis, Detroit, Seattle and Minneapolis have been allowed to enact ordinances that place restrictions on open carry laws, Texas legislators have refused to let local municipalities exercise their rights of local control, ” Rep. Anchia explained. “As a result of this shortsightedness, Texas is now home to the largest cities in the United States that have open carry laws with no local restrictions.”
During the floor debate on HB 910, Rep. Anchia offered an amendment to the bill that would have allowed individual municipalities to decide for themselves what kind of open carry laws, if any, they wanted to have. The amendment failed to pass. You may view the floor debate here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf2I8OdWl98&feature=youtu.be.
“There is a reason that the majority of Texas police departments, both large and small, did not support this bill, ” added Rep. Anchia. “Police departments anticipate a very high volume of 911 calls from people who will be justifiably alarmed at the sight of people openly carrying guns on their city streets, in their parks, and in their neighborhoods, causing a huge drain on police resources.”
“Texas now has the most extreme open carry law in the nation. Open carry is not a second amendment right and I proudly voted against it. I don’t want strange men walking down my street brandishing guns while my daughters are riding bikes or playing outside. My neighbors and constituents don’t want that, either.”
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