Texas Senate advances bill allowing handguns without license

AUSTIN (AP) – Texas would allow people to carry handguns without a license, and the background check and training that go with it, under a measure approved by the state Senate on Wednesday. The bill was authored by State Representative Matt Schaefer, of Tyler.  Texas already has some of the loosest gun laws in the country and has more than 1.6 million handgun license holders. State lawmakers have gradually reduced classroom and training instruction needed to get one over the last decade. The bill pushed by the Legislature’s Republican majority would eliminate the handgun license requirement despite objections from law enforcement.