Article 1, § 23 of the Texas Constitution states: "Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State. The right to keep and bear arms is outlined in the Texas Constitution.The right to bear arms is essential to freedom. For it is the policy of governments to disarm the people, that they may have the opportunity to oppress them. Governor Greg Abbott today signed seven pieces of legislation into law to protect Second Amendment Rights in Texas. A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. The Second Amendment protects arms, not firearms,6 and in Heller, the Supreme Court defined an arm as any. The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms. It was ratified on December 15, 1791. Ranked secondworst state, Massachusetts arguably has some of the strictest gun laws in the country.