Everything You Need to Know about Texas’ Open Carry Law

Everything You Need to Know about Texas’ Open Carry Law

Open carry has always been a touchy subject in Texas, but starting January of 2016, citizens will be able to openly carry firearms legally in the state of Texas.

The new law, commonly referred to as 30.07 for its section in the Texas Penal Code, went into effect January 1. It lets licensed holders carry their handguns in plain view, as long as the gun is in a shoulder or belt holster.

Licensed holders will still be prohibited from carrying openly in many places, including bars, schools, or private businesses that chose to prohibit open carry, like grocery giants H-E-B and Whole Foods.

Most police officers believe they are ready for the new law after weeks of training for the new change.  Law enforcement believes they will see a few more calls about “suspicious activity” concerning people openly carrying their guns, it is a pretty interesting scenario that someone could walk up to a bank teller and be open-carrying.

To handle an increase in calls, Dallas police have created a signal specifically for monitoring and tracking open carry concerns from the public. They remind people to call 911 only if a gun holder is violating the open carry law. Violations include:

  • Removal of the gun from its holster
  • An intoxicated gun-holder
  • Committing a crime
  • Acting recklessly

Dallas police recognize that there will be a bit of a learning curve, an adjustment to the new law, but they also are quick to point out that Texas license holders have been legally carrying around guns for years – you just haven’t been able to see them.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • 2025 Security LeadHER Conference Program Announced

    ASIS International and the Security Industry Association (SIA) – the leading membership associations for the security industry – have announced details for the 2025 Security LeadHER conference, a special event dedicated to advancing, connecting and empowering women in the security profession. The third annual Security LeadHER conference will be held Monday, June 9 – Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan. This carefully crafted program represents a comprehensive professional development opportunity for women in security this year. To view the full lineup at this year’s event, please visit securityleadher.org. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Report: 82 Percent of Phishing Emails Used AI

    KnowBe4, the world-renowned cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its Phishing Threat Trend Report, detailing key trends, new data, and threat intelligence insights surrounding phishing threats targeting organizations at the start of 2025. Read Now

  • NRF Supports Federal Bill to Thwart Retail Crime

    The National Retail Federation recently announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. The act was introduced by Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representative Dave Joyce, R-Ohio. Read Now

  • ISC West 2025 Brings Almost 29,000 Industry Professionals to Las Vegas

    ISC West 2025, organized by RX and in collaboration with the Security Industry Association, concluded at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas last week. The nation’s leading comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals and left a lasting impression on the global security community. Over five action-packed days, ISC West welcomed more than 19,000 attendees and featured 750 exhibiting brands. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Hanwha QNO-7012R

    Hanwha QNO-7012R

    The Q Series cameras are equipped with an Open Platform chipset for easy and seamless integration with third-party systems and solutions, and analog video output (CVBS) support for easy camera positioning during installation. A suite of on-board intelligent video analytics covers tampering, directional/virtual line detection, defocus detection, enter/exit, and motion detection.