Who can’t own a firearm
Clarified who can’t own a gun to include people who receive certain mental health care or diagnoses.
No mass shootings, relevant legislation or polls in Texas.
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
How much would stricter gun laws do to prevent gun violence?
A lot
Some
Not much
Not at all
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose a ban on semi-automatic weapons?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose a ban on high-capacity magazines?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose background checks for all gun sales?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Do you support or oppose background checks for all gun sales?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
School marshal program
Created a school marshal program allowing armed workers in Texas schools. Former state Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, filed the bill in response to the Sandy Hook shooting.
Villalba said gun laws passed in the past 10 years have largely been less restrictive because the Texas legislature is controlled by lawmakers, like himself, who want to defend the Second Amendment.
Second Fort Hood shooting
A 34-year-old Army specialist opened fire at the Fort Hood Army base, killing three and wounding at least 12 others before he engaged with military police, then shot himself. Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley told reporters that the shooter “had behavioral health and mental health” issues.
Purple Heart Medal
Expanded the criteria for awarding the Texas Purple Heart Medal to members of the armed forces wounded or killed during the first Fort Hood shooting.
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose campus carry?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Texans should be allowed to carry concealed handguns in public places …
Never
With a license
With a license, and allowed open carry
Without a license
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
Which factors have contributed a great deal to mass shootings?
55% answered failure of mental health system to identify dangerous individuals
48% answered unstable family situations
47% answered media attention given to mass shooting perpetrators
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Open carry
Allowed license-holders to carry handguns openly in a hip or shoulder holster, changing the law requiring that such weapons be concealed. This bill was signed into law in 2015.
The law drew opposition from some law enforcement officials who said that in an emergency situation, open carry makes it difficult to tell the difference between a “good guy with a gun” and a criminal.
The bill’s author, Rep. James White, R-Hillister, said open carry wasn’t a major departure from the previous concealed carry law.
Do you support or oppose background checks for all gun sales?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
The open carry of handguns makes you feel …
More safe
Less safe
No effect
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Dallas police shooting
A 25-year-old gunman targeted police at a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, killing five officers and injuring nine others, as well as two civilians. After a prolonged standoff in a downtown building, law enforcement killed the gunman using a robot-delivered bomb.
Politicians including President Barack Obama and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said Texas’ new open carry law added to the confusion at the chaotic scene as police had to consider whether people legally carrying guns might be threats.
Bulletproof vests
Created and funded a bulletproof vest grant program to outfit approximately 50,000 Texas officers with vests that can withstand rounds from high-caliber firearms. The Dallas police shooting spurred the bill.
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
Which factors are the most to blame for mass shootings?
Mental health system
Current gun laws
Spread of extremism
Other factors
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
School safety plan
Gov. Greg Abbott laid out a plan that included mental health screenings, expanded school protections, narrow measures regulating gun usage and recommendations to expand the school marshal program. Some were passed as bills during the 2019 legislative session.
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
If more people carried guns, the U.S. would be …
More safe
Less safe
No effect
Don’t know
Which factors have contributed a great deal to school shootings?
49% answered insufficient mental health resources for students
46% answered poor parenting
44% answered failure to identify potential school shooters in advance
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose red flag laws?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Roundtable discussions
Gov. Greg Abbott held meetings to consider legislative proposals to address the shooting. The newly formed Texas Safety Commission — which includes state leaders, lawmakers and law enforcement officials — discussed expanding background checks, banning assault weapons and implementing “red flag” laws that allow courts to order the surrender or seizure of guns from people deemed dangerous.
Midland-Odessa shooting
A 36-year-old gunman fired at police officers, then went on a shooting rampage in the Midland-Odessa region. He had a criminal record and “a long history of mental problems and making racist comments,” according to a family friend who spoke to the media.
School safety plans
Instructed schools districts to implement emergency plans. This bill included recommendations outlined by Gov. Greg Abbott after the Santa Fe High School shooting.
School marshal firearms cap
Removed the cap on the number of school marshals who can carry firearms at schools. Gov. Greg Abbott recommended this measure in his safety plan after the Santa Fe High School shooting.
Weapons in places of worship
Clarified the right of licensed handgun owners to legally carry their weapons in places of worship. Many lawmakers said such a measure was needed after the 2016 shooting in Sutherland Springs.
Gun control laws should be …
More strict
Left as they are
Less strict
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose background checks for all gun sales?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose red flag laws?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Do you support or oppose a ban on semi-automatic weapons?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Should Texas require background checks on all gun sales?
Support
Oppose
Don’t know
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Should adults be allowed to carry handguns in public without licenses or permits?
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Permitless carry
Allows anyone 21 years or older to carry a handgun in public without need for a permit or training. Before this law went into effect, Texans were mostly required to have a license to carry handguns, regardless of whether they are open or concealed.
To attain a license, applicants were previously required to submit fingerprints, complete four to six hours of training, and pass a written exam and shooting proficiency test.
This expansion of gun rights was so divisive, Republican leaders in previous years refused to touch it. It ended up passing with several Democrats voting for it.
Gun safety bills
The Legislature passed only two of the key gun safety bills written by Midland-Odessa and El Paso lawmakers — one to create a statewide active shooter alert system and another measure called the “lie and try” bill that makes it a state crime to lie on a background check form to illegally buy a gun.
“We have accomplished something in an environment where we have never passed gun safety measures,” said state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, of the “lie and try” bill.
“Second Amendment sanctuary state”
The “Second Amendment sanctuary state” law was branded as a way to shield Texas from gun laws that could potentially be passed at the federal level.
The push to steel Texas against new federal rules comes as gun violence nationwide has sparked Democrats to call for an assault weapons ban and stronger background checks, among other changes.
Experts say it’s largely a symbolic gesture.
Gun rights expanded
Lawmakers also doubled down on gun rights when they approved bills that would eliminate the governor’s power to ban gun sales during an emergency, prohibit big state and local government contracts “that discriminate against the firearm or ammunition industries” and make it legal for gun owners to bring weapons into their hotel rooms.
The Legislature also passed a measure to allow school boards to let school marshals carry guns on their person instead of being required to keep them locked up, among other gun rights proposals.
Should Texas adults be allowed to carry handguns without licenses or training?
Margin of error: +/- 2.83%
Uvalde school shooting
According to preliminary reports, at least 18 children and two adults were killed in an elementary school shooting in Uvalde. The number of injured is based on Texas Tribune counts and is also subject to change.
