Texas lawmakers OK carrying handguns without a license, despite opposition from police and gun control groups

Austin — Texas is poised to remove one of its last major gun restrictions after lawmakers approved allowing people to carry handguns without a license and the background check and training that go with it.

The Republican-dominated Legislature approved the measure Monday, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has said he will sign it despite the objections of law enforcement groups who say it would endanger the public and police. Gun control groups also oppose the measure, noting the state's recent history of mass shootings, including those at an El Paso Walmart, a church in Sutherland Springs and a high school outside Houston.