On New Year's Day, a new gun carry law will be effective in the state of Texas. The new law will allow Texans who have legal handgun licenses to carry a holstered weapon in plain sight.The state has the reputation of being the trigger-happy heart of American gun culture, though it came late to the open carry party.
The new law was signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year. This will make Texas the 45th state to legalize carrying a pistol in plain view and will make them the most populous state in the US to allow the practice known as 'open carry'.
Meanwhile, many shop owners are facing dilemmas whether they will allow guns to be carried openly by patrons inside their shops. Gringo's Mexican Kitchen owners are old-timers at facing the challenges of a growing restaurant business such as; competition, hiring, and staff discipline. However, the Tex-Mex food chain has been facing an uncommon problem regarding whether to allow customers to openly display their handguns while munching tacos.
Under the state regulations, individual businesses are left with an option. They can either allow open carry displaying handguns in a shoulder holster or in a belt, or they can choose to post a signage that bans armed customers.
Not only the state's businesses has the option to set their own rules on open carry, the state agencies are also encourage to have their own guidelines. The San Antonio Based H-E-B joins another Texas major retailer in allowing open carry. San Antonio Express- News reported that a spokeswoman told them in an email that the new law of open-carry is at odds with its alcoholic consumption policy and that it has been the company's policy for years now. However, the company said they will allow concealed carry for licensed gun owners.
Also, the First Baptist Church of Arlington, near Dallas, which accommodates some 2,500 worshipers each Sunday, will allow open carry. Senior Pastor Dennis Wiles said the church approves open carry, and came to its decision after discussing the new law with its legal ad visors. They also discussed the matter to its congregation, which includes police officers who already carry concealed guns.
Forty-four states have some sort of open carry guidelines on their manuals. Only, Florida, California, South Caroline, Washington DC, Illinois, and New York ban open carry. The Texas open carry gun law still prohibits guns from being brought into certain places of hospitals, jails, shops that serve alcohol, and churches.
