Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act on Thursday, aiming to standardize concealed carry laws across state lines.
If passed, the bill would require states to recognize concealed carry permits issued by any other state, ensuring that permit holders can carry firearms in states that permit concealed carry.
“The Lone Star State has long championed our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, and gun owners in Texas and across the country should not have that fundamental right violated when they cross state lines,” Cornyn stated in remarks provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation. He emphasized the bill’s intent to ease restrictions on law-abiding gun owners and expressed gratitude for the strong Republican support behind the proposal.
This latest effort to establish nationwide reciprocity builds on a similar bill introduced in 2023 by Republican North Carolina Representative Richard Hudson. Hudson’s legislation garnered widespread Republican backing, and with the GOP controlling both chambers of Congress, the bill’s chances of passage have increased. Hudson introduced his version of the bill in the House on Wednesday, according to Fox News.
Cornyn’s Senate bill has attracted support from nearly 20 gun advocacy groups, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), Gun Owners of America (GOA), and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
“On behalf of the millions of NRA members and law-abiding gun owners across the country, the National Rifle Association thanks Senator Cornyn for re-introducing the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act,” said John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.
“This common-sense solution remedies a confusing patchwork of state laws and ensures that your right to self-defense does not stop at the state line.”
Prominent Republicans such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, and 40 other GOP senators have also endorsed the legislation.
Critics, however, argue that the measure could undermine state-level standards for concealed carry permits. Groups like Everytown for Gun Safety caution that the law might compel states to accept permits from jurisdictions with less stringent requirements, creating enforcement challenges.
Texas is known for its gun-friendly laws, making it easy to purchase firearms at gun shows, stores, and pawn shops. The state has minimal restrictions on gun ownership and public carry, including permitless carry, which allows individuals to carry firearms without a license.
However, this leniency has coincided with a significant gun violence problem. Texas has experienced numerous mass shootings, including tragic incidents at schools, churches, and public spaces. The state ranks 27th in the U.S. for gun-related deaths, with over 4,600 fatalities in 2022 from homicides, suicides, and accidents.
Despite this, the Texas Legislature, controlled by Republicans, has expanded gun rights in recent years, allowing guns in schools, places of worship, and apartment units while rejecting proposals like “red flag” laws or raising the age to purchase assault rifles. Democrats in the state have advocated for tighter gun regulations, including universal background checks and restrictions on assault weapons, but these efforts have largely been blocked.
Nationally, President Joe Biden has pushed for gun safety measures, including background checks and banning assault weapons, while former President Donald Trump and most Texas Republican leaders oppose such measures.
The issue remains divisive among voters. A Dallas Morning News-University of Texas at Tyler poll in 2020 shows that 87% of Texas voters support expanded background checks and 71% favored red flag laws. Meanwhile a Pew Research Center survey found this year that a slight majority of 51% prioritize gun rights over enacting gun restrictions.
For more information on gun violence in Texas, visit the RA News Gun Violence Watch page.
