Texas House OKs 3 bills loosening gun regulations
AUSTIN—Texas lawmakers moved Tuesday to make it even easier to carry firearms with a trio of bills approved by the state House—including one that could cost the state millions amid a sizeable budget crunch.
The chamber voted 111-30 to decrease gun licenses to $40, down from $140 for first-time permits and $70 for 5-year renewals. The move has already cleared the Texas Senate and now needs only a final House vote—which should come Wednesday—before Gov. Greg Abbott can sign it into law.
The decrease is expected to cost Texas nearly $22 million over the life of the 2018-2019 state budget that the Legislature is still devising. That's a significant number given that the prolonged oil price slump has left the state up to $6 billion short of being able to maintain current spending levels over the two-year life of the next budget.
Opponents warned the move could deplete funding for other priorities like public education, though those objections didn't stop the proposal from passing.
Read more: http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/texas/story/2017/may/03/texas-house-oks-3-bills-loosening-gun-regulations/672406/
