Texans seek to carry guns in plain view

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 23 (UPI) -- A group of Texas residents want to expand state law to allow residents to carry their handguns in plain site rather than being forced to conceal them.

John Pierce, co-founder of www.OpenCarry.org, says his organization seeks to make Texas an open-carry state, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Monday.

"The concealed-carry movement that swept the country in past decades has been a great benefit to law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves in an uncertain world," said Pierce. "But we are trying to re-educate people that open carry is ... a basic gun right."

The group says dozens of states either issue licenses for open carry or allow the practice without a license.

More than 3,500 Texans have signed an online petition asking Gov. Rick Perry and the Legislature to change the current law.

A spokesperson for Perry said expanding the law to open-carry would take a lot of public deliberation and legislative guidance.