CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY ONE STEP CLOSER TO ABBOTT’S DESK:

The bill, HB 1927, initially passed the House, and later passed the Senate with amendments. Because the House refused to concur with the Senate’s amendments, the bill went to a conference committee comprised of five House and five Senate members to hash out differences.

The 10 legislators announced that they have reached a full agreement on the bill, which is now expected to pass both chambers this week. Gov. Greg Abbott says he will sign the bill.

Once he does, Texas would become the 21st state to adopt a constitutional carry law. Texas is one of the only Republican-led states that has not passed a constitutional carry bill.

In constitutional carry states, residents can legally carry a firearm without a license or any other government-applied restriction, ConcealedCarryStates.org explains.

Vermont has never restricted the right for adults to carry a firearm. Alaska was the first state to rescind its concealed carry permit requirement in 2003.

Abbott said that constitutional carry was a priority legislative item this year and declared that Texas would become a sanctuary state for the Second Amendment after 20 states have already passed constitutional carry laws.

Current Texas law requires individuals to obtain a license and pay a fee in order to carry a handgun, which Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, says, restricts Texans’ Second Amendment rights. Schwertner filed the House’s companion bill in the Senate.

Related: “‘The simple truth is that those who intend evil… don’t care what we do in this building,’ State Rep. Matt Schaefer, a Tyler Republican who authored the bill. ‘We are charged with defending the freedoms that are owed to Texans and guaranteed by the constitution.’”

Exit question: Is Texas ready for Governor Beto “Hell yes we’re gonna take your AR-15” O’Rourke?