Texans do not need a license to carry, but some gun owners still want one.

Texas is coming up on two years since "permitless carry"

passed in the Texas Legislature, which has allowed Texans to carry handguns without a license since September 2021. Although they don’t need a permit to carry a handgun, over 200,000 people in Texas still obtained licenses in 2022.According to Texas instructors who teach license-to-carry classes, the reasons for their students’ presence are clear. There are still benefits to taking the class and receiving a permit: knowledge about the law, ability to carry a gun across state lines and peace of mind.

Texas Republicans and gun owners have argued that eliminating regulations on firearms is compelled by a conservative reading of the U.S. Constitution — and necessary to protect the rights of Texas citizens. When Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation doing away with permits, known by conservatives as “ constitutional carry, ” he characterized the law as “defending the Second Amendment.”