It takes 18 votes in the Senate to pass a bill. There are 18 Republican senators. This should be a no-brainer.
The way the article quotes Patrick it appears the "law enforcement community" is opposing the bill and has some sway.
Also
On Friday afternoon, one key GOP senator, Sen. Kel Seliger of Amarillo, suggested he may not be immediately supportive of the proposal. He told The Texas Tribune that his office was still researching the issue and he tends to support "just about all" bills related to gun rights, but the "system that we have now works." He said it was too early to say whether he would block the bill from coming to the floor or vote against it if it made it to the floor.