AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A measure that would allow Texans to carry a handgun without a permit is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk, after the Texas Senate gave its final approval to the bill Monday afternoon.
House Bill 1927 would allow anyone at least 21 years old to carry a handgun in a holster without a permit, unless they are not allowed to under federal or state law.
The House approved the compromise bill in a vote just before midnight Sunday, on an 82-62 vote. The Senate approved the final bill on a 17-13 vote.
Abbott has indicated he plans to sign the bill into law. 20 other states across the country have a similar form of so-called "constitutional carry” laws on the books.
The bill also allows individuals with a misdemeanor or felony conviction for unlawfully carrying a firearm to have those convictions expunged. According to a tweet from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, there have been more than 130,000 convictions that would be eligible for expunction once the bill becomes law.
A number of Senate amendments to the bill were kept in the final version, including a requirement that the Texas Department of Public Safety offer a free online course on gun safety, along with enhanced criminal penalties for felons and family violence offenders caught carrying.
One measure in the House version that was struck from the final bill would have blocked law enforcement officers from questioning someone based solely on their possession of a handgun.