Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa (D) cannot repeal Texas' constitutional carry law by executive order, the Dallas Express reported. Changing the law would require legislative action, and any replacement would still have to meet state and federal constitutional limits. Voters elected Democrats to several statewide offices, including governor and lieutenant governor. Republicans kept their majority in the Texas Senate.
Hinojosa opposed constitutional carry in an October 21 New Yorker interview, saying people should pass a background check to carry a gun. Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1927 on June 16, 2021. The law took effect September 1, 2021, and allows eligible adults to carry handguns in most public places without a State License to Carry. It keeps the ban on firearm possession by people prohibited under state or federal law.
Gun Owners of America, which supported the bill, said Texans should not have to ask the state for permission to exercise their right to carry a handgun. Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs said the law restored a more robust right to bear arms. The Texas Department of Public Safety says it no longer denies handgun licenses to 18- to 20-year-old applicants solely because of their age, following a 2022 federal court decision. The licensing program remains in place.
Lawmakers could amend the law to require a license for public handgun carry again. Any bill would need to pass the House and Senate and be signed by the governor. According to the report, a Republican majority voting against repeal could defeat such a measure.