A new ruling opens things up for police.

Open Carry

Open Carry has been the law of the land in Texas since 2021. It was just a short distance from having to have a license. Since that time, believe it or not, there seems to be very little difference in the way most Texans present themselves, or at least the guns have become someone invisible or unremarkable to the rest of us when seeing them.

The Ruling

To put it simply, a judges ruling basically says that if someone complains that you are carrying a gun in the open that the police can arrest you. It is more than likely you will be released with no charges filed, but the "qualified immunity" given to police allow them to arrest you with no repercussions. This could even get crazier, as the police, if they feel necessary can actually put you at gunpoint until you are disarmed and arrested.

Are The Happy Days Gone?

So, will all of this change the landscape in Texas? It certainly could. All it takes is one Nervous Nelly to call the police on a law-abiding person and you could have a very dangerous situation, and/or a visit to jail until things are cleared up. I would say the police would most likely try to de-escalate the situation, so if they tell you they've "had a report" and that you should move on, it's best to move on, because they DO now have the right to arrest you.

Who Might Be Targeted

It's doubtful, but possible that a regular person who open carries will have a problem with this. What is more likely is that people who like to carry ridiculously powerful firearms into donut shops to make some kind of point can now be more easily detained. My guess is that if you personally keep your intimidation level low, no one will bother you. Just be aware that it is now legal for the police to arrest you for open carry, even if you've done nothing wrong.