Texas is one of the few states in the United States that allows citizens to legally carry a firearm. This means that people are legally allowed to carry a gun in a visible way, as long as it is in a holster. This includes in a movie theater. Businesses and other private owners can ban guns on their properties using several types of signs. The measures that were not passed included the requirement for background checks in the sale of firearms online from person to person and alert laws.
Federal law at the time prohibited a person from owning a firearm if they had been charged with a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, but there was still no national instant background check system to prevent the shooter from buying one. Dru Stevenson, from the South Texas School of Law in Houston, explained that this was the case at the time. Cotton, who is also a firearms instructor, encourages gun owners to obtain a firearms license anyway. This is not only for the learning experience, but also because the license is valid in other states that have reciprocity with Texas. The data suggests an increase in the number of weapons stolen from vehicles in some states following the passage of laws that facilitate the use of firearms in cars. When the bill was introduced, gun safety advocates, law enforcement, and firearm instructors opposed it.
In firearm license classes, applicants learn basic gun laws, conflict resolution and proper firearm storage, and have to demonstrate basic knowledge of shooting. A family member told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper that he had a mental illness; there was no record that he had been treated in local or state psychiatric facilities. Later, during a meeting in Houston, he told police officers that he had asked prosecutors across the state to expedite the trials of people accused of violence against law enforcement officers. The tenants of a residential unit (apartment, condominium and prefabricated house) have the right to legally own firearms and ammunition in those places, and to transport them directly on the road between their residential units and their vehicles. The ruling rejected a rule used by most lower courts that evaluated whether the law promoted public safety and, instead, stated that governments should enact laws that were “consistent with this country's historical tradition of regulating firearms.” An analysis by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune revealed that at least two dozen measures would have prevented people from legally obtaining the weapons used in seven of the state's mass shootings. In conclusion, it is legal for citizens to carry firearms in movie theaters in Fort Worth, TX as long as they have obtained a valid firearms license. However, businesses and private owners can ban guns on their properties using several types of signs.
Gun safety advocates, law enforcement officers and firearm instructors oppose this measure due to its potential risks. It is important for gun owners to be aware of all applicable laws and regulations regarding firearms ownership and use.
