Texas state lawmakers have negotiated a final version of a bill allowing licensed open carry of handguns, priming it for a likely Friday vote to send it to Gov. Greg Abbott.
House and Senate negotiators said Thursday they stripped out language that would have barred police demanding to see the license of someone carrying a gun if they had no other reason to stop them.
That provision had already overwhelmingly passed both chambers, but later prompted angry rebuttal from law enforcement around the state.
Police said it would endanger officers and the public.
Abbott has said he will sign an open carry bill into law.
Texas allows concealed handguns, but has banned open carry since the post-Civil War era.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
