Texas Constitutional Carry to go to Conference Committee, Future in Doubt

Texas Gun iStock-884200682
On the 2nd day of Christmas, more anti-gun measures from Bloomberg and Beto in Texas. IMG iStock-884200682

U.S.A.-(AmmoLand.com)- On Wednesday, 12 May 2021, HB1927 came back from the Texas Senate to the House. The House had passed the bill with a good margin. Governor Abbot said he would sign the bill. The Senate just barely passed the bill, but included eight amendments.

The question was: Would the House accept the amendments, and send the bill to the Governor’s desk for signature, or would the House send the bill to a conference committee. The conference committee could work out a compromise with the House. If they did, then the bill would have to go back to the Senate and the House for approval.

The Democrats in the House raised a point of order, claiming the amendment to HB 1927, which requires the state to create an online training course about gun carry and the law, fell outside the single issue rule and was therefore illegal.

Legislation in Texas is supposed to address a single issue only. What is a single issue, is subject to interpretation. Several of the other seven amendments added in the Senate could as easily fail under the single issue rule.

This correspondent is not in the Texas legislature. Representative Schaffer is. He is the House sponsor of the bill. Representative Schaffer came to the podium, asked the House to reject the Senate amendments and send the HB 1927 to a conference committee.

It had been worked out behind the scenes. The House asked for a conference committee.

To this correspondent, it appeared the House was betting 90% of Constitutional Carry against a chance of gaining a few more percent toward a 100% bill.

Members of the House Conference Committee would be made up of five members who voted for HB 1927 in the House.  From thetexan.com:

The House’s appointees to the proposed conference committee will be the bill’s author, Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), as well as Reps. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg), James White (R-Hillister), Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City), and Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) — all of whom supported the original House version.

It had appeared, if the House had accepted the Senate Amendments, it was a done deal. There is some question as to whether the point of order would be upheld. The point of order was withdrawn and became moot when the House did not concur with the Senate amendments and asked for a conference committee.

The clock is ticking. There are only 17 days until the Texas legislature adjourns at the end of 31 May 2021.

If Lt Governor Dan Patrick wants this bill to pass, he needs to appoint a conference committee immediately, staffed with members in favor of the bill. They need to work out differences and put a compromise bill to both houses very quickly.

In the conference committee, many things can happen.

  • The bill can be delayed until it dies.
  • The Senate can reject the conference committee recommendations.
  • The House can reject the conference committee recommendations.
  • The two houses can agree to changes to the Senate amendments.

If they do so, then the bill goes to Governor Abbott for signature.

This correspondent has seen many bills die at the last minute when passage seemed imminent.

Time will tell what will happen to HB 1927, the Texas Constitutional Carry bill.

Governor Abbott has said he will sign Constitutional Carry if it comes to his desk.


About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.

Dean Weingarten

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The Crimson Pirate

The purpose of the senate amendments were to prevent passage of the bill while at the same time allowing senators to claim to have voted for the bill. So when constituents want to know who to vote against or who to primary it will be a “he, she, who? Me?” situation. Senator “Hey, don’t look at me, I voted for it in the senate.” Representative “We sent a good bill over. Don’t blame us for the senate screwing it up.” Bottom line, the senate did not want it to pass. So they gave Texas a choice; pass with bad stuff… Read more »

Sniper62

Bye bye socialists

Green Mtn. Boy

Sounds as if it might be in trouble and is time to put the pressure on all combatants.

Sniper62

If you dont love America then get out and go the China or North Korea. Get out!!!!!

APG member

YEAH! IF YOU DON’T LOVE THE WAY WE INFRINGE ON 2A GET OUT!!!!!

Last edited 3 years ago by APG member
Terry

Name the rep’s that have voted no. Then name those in the senate that change what the house sent over.

We will remember in November of each voting year forward.

Sniper62

We need to stand United and vote them our of office.

GomeznSA

Terry – yep name em and shame um.
The fact that they are ‘trying’ to resolve the issues BEHIND closed doors speaks volumes. Remember how barky got his wonderful medical care plan passed – behind closed doors at night and only with dems in attendance. At least this soiree is bi-partisan.

GomeznSA

Replying to myself – I forgot to ask if anyone has heard from Bart Stupak lately?

Grigori

I hope they haven’t come this far to lose it all.

Sniper62

Call your friends together and let’s meet at the voting box

Grigori

I am not in Texas but I support their attempt to reclaim lost freedom. Unfortunately, the voting process is severely corrupt and has been for decades. I have felt for some time that we are way past the point of fixing this mess by voting.

JimmyS

If you let others determine what your rights are, eventually you won’t have any. This ain’t about politics. By keeping the People focused on the politics, rather than on simply asserting and defending their rights against criminals, traitors, and tyrants, the nation is lost, one political decision at a time.

Sniper62

Got to get off the couch and stop watch nen play grab ass and vote for real Americans

Cam

Who voted in the senate to add the amendments? They need to be put into the light!

Sniper62

Fire them send them packing back to China

Dee

I believe you mean Greenland.

Sniper62

If they kill the bill everyone needs to show up to vote and get rid of these socialist bastards. Vote

GomeznSA

S62 – we have tried but some of them STILL manage to sneak in – even alleged ‘republicans’ who talk a ‘good’ game but do not deliver on a whole host of issues, not just permit less carry (more accurate than CC).
Look how long we were stuck with joe straus and then his replacement (bonen). They lived in other districts so I had no ability to vote them out.

Grigori

As last November proved to all but the most severely mentally retarded, elections are easily rigged and likely have been for decades.

GomeznSA

Grig – true enough. No one should ever forget that tricky dick had the proof about how the dems stole that election but refused to use it as he felt – likely correctly – that the Republic could not withstand the trauma resulting from such a revelation.

GomeznSA

Old – according to the article legislation is ‘supposed’ to be limited to a single issue. It has been nearly 60 years since I had to take Texas history/government so off hand I don’t recall if that is correct (likely so). What I DO know is that the possibility of those poison pills would be EXACTLY why that limitation is in place. I have been saying for decades that one way to get gummint (at all levels) back under control of We The People is to have that sort of ‘rule’ in place. IOW a proposed law, rule, regulation or… Read more »

Roland T. Gunner

Make no mistake, all the opposition by all the various law enforcement representative groups is not really about officer safety; thats just the convenient excuse. Do it for the children, do it for the fire department and all that. It’s really to protect what remains of the perceived state monopoly on the use of force (common and visible arms).

Roland T. Gunner

Just too many moderates who also fear the people exercising their rights. I was with the Houston Police Dept for 22 years, the latter 17 years as a patrol sergeant. Your average policman, including rank and file street level officers and supervisors, is not particularly pro-2A. They believe in guns for themselves, but the citizen’s arms should be locked up at home. They very much believe they are in the priveleged class. Don’t doubt for a moment that most of them would follow confiscation orders. Personally, I believe in Constitutional Carry for ALL citizens over 18. If an adult cannot… Read more »

Dee

Roland I was with you until your last sentence. Smh Seems like Jim Crow type sh!t. What would this test look like?

Sniper62

I should run for Texas Governor or President. I’ll change this country for the people that belong here!!! I would really clean the swamp

Dee

Belong here? What people are you referring to?

Stag

Republicans have been killing constitutional carry for over a decade. They’ll keep doing it because they’ve learned that there’s no consequences for it. They keep getting voted in.

Sniper62

They aren’t Republicians they are trash!!!

Sniper62

Guns for everyone except the politicians

Roland T. Gunner

I have been a lukewarm supportr of our governor and lieutenant governor; but it’s really sad how much political pressure has to be put on them to get them to support the People.

Dee

Dan Patrick is a criminal and should be locked up. Abbott has been recently embolden by Trump so you never know what you are getting from him. He makes everything political.

Sniper62

Time to clean house and get rid of these so call Republicians that are totally worthless scum. Make Texas BLUE throughout!!!! Beto can kiss my ass!

Roland T. Gunner

Yeah, but would you let him french kiss it?