Political insiders flock to get gun permits that give them VIP-style access to Texas Capitol

Gun permit allows quick access to Texas Capitol

AUSTIN, Texas — Everyone from lobbyists to lawyers and journalists are rushing to get permits to carry guns inside the Texas Capitol because it will give them VIP-style access to the building.

A unique loophole in a new security procedure means a gun permit is like a special-access pass. It allows people who are certified to carry a gun to bypass lines at the metal detectors that were set up after a shooting incident earlier this year.

Texas law allows people to carry a weapon if they have a permit and as long as the gun is concealed. A separate lane for license-holders had to be created so gun-toters could enter without having to pull out their weapons — or unconceal them — along with their wallets and keys.