Fredericksburg Representative Kyle Biedermann announced this week he will file a Constitutional Carry bill in the upcoming 87th Legislative Session. Various versions of this bill were put forth previously by Representative Jonathan Stickland and Representative James White, but none managed to gain enough traction in previous sessions.
There are currently 15 other states who already have Constitutional Carry.
“It is time for Texas to lead on this issue and open the door for many other states to follow,” says Biedermann.
Biedermann, who is a licensed firearm dealer, says the bill is aimed at “restoring the citizens’ right to protect themselves without being required to seek permission from the government.” Biedermann believes if you are not prohibited from possessing the handgun, you should not be prohibited from carrying it.
“Our constitution was written to ensure certain rights of all citizens. Everyone has the right to life and to protect that life from harm. No one should have to pay a fee or get permission from the government before being able to do so legally” says Biedermann, “I look forward to working with my colleagues to restore the rights of Texans.”
With some local governments choosing to defund their police forces, Biedermann calls it as a “stern reminder” that in a moment of life or death, “the citizens of Texas must be prepared to act as their own first responders in the event response times are too high for police to arrive in a timely manner.”
Additionally, Biedermann says this legislation benefits lower-income communities who may struggle to pay government fees to obtain a license.
Constitutional Carry has long been a priority of the Republican Party of Texas. As of the 86th Legislative session, which was held in 2019, Biedermann says Constitutional Carry was actually the number one priority for most of the party.
