Texas Senate Approves Open Carry Of Handguns Bill Days After Waco Shootout

The Texas Senate approved a bill on Friday that would allow the open carry of handguns, permitting residents to carry licensed handguns openly in a shoulder or belt holster. The bill was passed on a 19-12 vote, just days after a deadly shootout in Waco killed nine and injured 18, sparking fresh debate around the issue. The bill's proponents defended the move, saying that the shooting would have occurred with or without open carry.