AUSTIN – A new bill allowing Texans to carry their guns for up to a week after a natural disaster is heading to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
The Texas Senate narrowly approved House Bill 1177 on Sunday. the day before the legislative session is set to end.
The final vote on the controversial bill was 16-15.
The Dallas Morning News reports that if House Bill 1177 becomes a law, any Texan who legally owns a firearm, could carry their handgun, whether it is open or concealed, for a week after a natural or state disaster is declared.
The bill’s opponents have speculated that it would present more concerns for law enforcement officials working after a hurricane or other disasters.
“It’s really, really poor public policy that is not well thought out,” Sen. Joan Huffman, a former judge, told the Morning News. “It is not solving a problem. It is creating a problem.”
