Whew. The Texas Government has been quite busy as of late.

Today, the Texas House of Representatives has given what could be considered a preliminary "thumbs up" to House Bill 1927. The organization of this bill was led by East Texas' own, state Representative Matt Schaefer of Tyler.

There were hours upon hours of heated debate. The Texas Tribune reports it was "some of the most emotionally charged debate yet this legislative session, with Democrats pleading to their colleagues to reconsider their position on the legislation."

But all to no avail.

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Gun rights activists were thrilled with the 84-56 vote. If the bill is passed into law, it would mean handguns can be carried even by those without a permit. As the law stands now, those who'd seek to carry a handgun are typically required to have some level of training in order to receive the license to carry.

The vote was understandably devastating to those opposed--particularly the Democrats from El Paso, who've been fighting for more stringent gun safety. It was only two years ago when they dealt with the heartbreaking tragedy of the massacre there at home.

To be clear, this was only an initial approval. There still needs to be the official final confirmation before it makes it way to the Texas Senate.

Not all conservatives are fully comfortable with the "Constitutional Carry" idea. Even Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has expressed public concern in the past--as recently as 2017. His main hesitation has been in regard to law enforcement not being comfortable with anybody at all walking around with a gun; Especially with ongoing recent issues regarding police violence.

So tell us--are you comfortable with the idea of any man or woman carrying a gun without a license? Let us know in the comments.

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Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Texas using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

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