Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights in

[JonboyAU]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

Excellent! I didn't post to cause trouble but out of an interest in learning.

 

[JonboyAU]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

If you look at the history of concealed carry across the nation you will see very few states had shall issue licenses as recently as 20 years ago. Texas was one of them. Much progress has been made.

Also, Texas is slow to change the laws, as our legislature only meets every other year and then only for 140 days. So we have had 1/2 the opportunities as many other states.

The Georgia Legislature meets every year. We were told last year by the Lt. Governor that he would bring no new firearms legislation to a vote as "we had passed a law for you guys last year". After a organized campaign of phone calls and letter writing we ended up passing legislation that brought us our biggest gains to date including the deletion of the public gathering clause. He will probably say it again this year. We just keep plugging.

 

[Texan2]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

Excellent! I didn't post to cause trouble but out of an interest in learning.

I dont think you want to cause trouble and it is good to know that you were able to makes great gains in Georgia. Your opening few posts seemed to question Texans love of freedoms and their rights....that can sometimes rub folks the wrong way...especially in Texas

 

[JonboyAU]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

I dont think you want to cause trouble and it is good to know that you were able to makes great gains in Georgia. Your opening few posts seemed to question Texans love of freedoms and their rights....that can sometimes rub folks the wrong way...especially in Texas

Well, hopefully I cleared that up. It kind of brings us full circle to why I originally posted. I don't think Texans like to be told what to do much and I was surprised to see what I can only think of as hoops that you have to jump through to get and keep a CHL. i figured that would definitely rub a Texan the wrong way.

 

[Texan2]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

I guess it depends on what you consider "hoops". While unlicensed carry is an ultimate goal for many, our CHL requirements seem extremely easy to me and the associated costs are insignificant to the vast majority.

 

[JonboyAU]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

I guess it depends on what you consider "hoops". While unlicensed carry is an ultimate goal for many, our CHL requirements seem extremely easy to me and the associated costs are insignificant to the vast majority.

I have already mentioned them but I will do so again. Paying roughly $250 to get an initial CHL is too much and an infringement, waiting two months to get a CHL is ridiculous and having to take another class every 5 years to renew is definitely a hoop.

 

[Texan2]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

All of those things could most certainly be improved on. In the big scheme of things its not a huge deal to many on here and it doesn't seem to bother the vast majority in the State of Texas as a whole.
One of the problems, (and you will se it on this forum if you hang around awhile) is that many open carry/constitutional carry folk are very militant/beligerant and demanding and have little or no political tact.
That has been something that has not helped the cause and even pushed some people away from it here in Texas.

 

[jedwil]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

I have already mentioned them but I will do so again. Paying roughly $250 to get an initial CHL is too much and an infringement, waiting two months to get a CHL is ridiculous and having to take another class every 5 years to renew is definitely a hoop.

Since Texas has no state income tax, the $250 is not as significant as it might be in Georgia.

 

[45tex]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

Since Texas has no state income tax, the $250 is not as significant as it might be in Georgia.

+1 for the lack of state income tax. Most of our fees are a bit high, for that reason. Uncle Rick (puke Perry) has to get his money as this is a "meetin of da govment" year here. Which is why we have to have groups like the NRA and TSRA. Now we need a good orgaization to remind Perry we have a common border with a third world sink hole. He is only aware of that fact during election years.

 

[JonboyAU]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

Since Texas has no state income tax, the $250 is not as significant as it might be in Georgia.

If you are insinuating that I cannot afford $250 I assure you that I can. If it is your opinion that every person that wants a CHL in Texas can afford to pay $250 for something that is supposed to be a right then I believe you are incorrect. If I am wrong it won't be the first time.

 

[Thegomezclan]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

The $250 is a lot of money for a guy that has 9 children like me. I wish I didn't have to pay for my right to protect my family out side my home. But I think Texas is a good state to be in if you do have to, God forbid, use a gun to protect you and yours.

 

[jedwil]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

If you are insinuating that I cannot afford $250 I assure you that I can. If it is your opinion that every person that wants a CHL in Texas can afford to pay $250 for something that is supposed to be a right then I believe you are incorrect. If I am wrong it won't be the first time.

I am not insinuating anything about anyone's ability to pay any amount. I agree that some fees are too high, but know that many classes of people here get reduced rates. I paid $70 and $50 for the class. I am just a bit troubled when an out-of-stater starts criticizing a state that has some of the most lenient gun laws in the country. We have legislative efforts underway for campus carry, open carry, and employee parking protection. There are folks working to reduce the fees for CHL, tho' I can't find that link. Texas has the Castle Law, which is pretty significant.
I was just implying that we don't pay a state income tax here as you do in Georgia. I don't like state income taxes, finding them pretty oppressive. Are there efforts underway to repeal those? But that is really you Georgian's business.
Out of curiosity, have you posted similarly in forum's in CA, NJ, NY, or Il?

 

[txinvestigator]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

If you are insinuating that I cannot afford $250 I assure you that I can. If it is your opinion that every person that wants a CHL in Texas can afford to pay $250 for something that is supposed to be a right then I believe you are incorrect. If I am wrong it won't be the first time.

There are many circumstances when one can pay a reduced fee. Indigent persons is one.

 

[txinvestigator]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

The $250 is a lot of money for a guy that has 9 children like me. I wish I didn't have to pay for my right to protect my family out side my home.

You don't. You just need a license to carry a HANDGUN outside of your car.

 

[Thegomezclan]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

Well if I want to protect myself or my family when Im not at the the house or in my car then I need to pay for that right. I will get a license because it is my responsibility to protect them. I'm just saying for me that a lot of money to pay for a right.

 

[SiscoKid]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

The cost of a Texas CCW License has never been an issue with me, even when I first got mine the first year it was available. I was working at a low paying job at the time and I FOUND the money to be Legal and Carrying.

If anyone notices, the cost has dropped over the years, and even more so if one is a Senior. For us it's something like $20 or $30 a year, I didn't take the time to figure it out. I have read where there are other instances where the cost is reduced. Heck, I whizz off that amount of money watching monkey's making love to footballs.

Besides, the guys who take the time and spend the money to become Licensed Instructors deserve to be compensated too.

Having to get trained, background checked, and pay for a CCW License means that the average Texan must make an effort, must really be serious, and know what he/she is doing to go through the procedure. I like that. Already the jerks in New Jerk think that Texans allow any 12 year old to go down to the local 7-11 and walk out with a Uzi. They also think we all wear cowboy boots and ride horses, or jackasses.

I trust the TSRA, working with our Great Governor Rick Perry, and our new State Legislature to work FOR us to eliminate goofy gun laws and promote good ones. They have been.

 

[MR Redneck]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

Since Texas has no state income tax, the $250 is not as significant as it might be in Georgia.

Texas doesnt have a State Income Tax because Texas doesnt need it. Compairing the CHL fee to the lacking of a Tax might not be the opinion you want to argue.

 

[Cliffh]

Re: Is there an effective state organization fighting for your 2nd Amendment rights i

I have already mentioned them but I will do so again. Paying roughly $250 to get an initial CHL is too much and an infringement, waiting two months to get a CHL is ridiculous and having to take another class every 5 years to renew is definitely a hoop.

I have to agree with all of your points. And your cost figure is actually on the low side in some instances. Once one adds in some of the incidental expenses such as a second set of fingerprints (because the first set wasn't good enough), travel expenses (which can add up, especially as fuel prices increase), variances in class pricing and other misc. expenses, the cost can be closer to $350 per permission slip. Despite what some may say, the costs associated with obtaining a permission slip can actually keep a law-abiding individual from taking the required courses and being able to lawfully carry. I happen to know one or two people who either can't afford the initial permission slip or can't afford the renewal fees. In one case it's a choice between medical expenses & a permission slip. What are these people to do, carry a long gun everywhere? That's not a practical solution.

Much as I dislike comparing a CHL to a drivers license; vehicle codes & laws change frequently. If a driver can be relied on to keep themselves current on the vehicle laws, why can't CHL holders be accorded the same consideration?

Unfortunately, folks can only relate to what they've experienced. Since there have been advances in the TX firearm laws recently, people who've never experienced anything else can only see that as an indicator of how good things are, and they're getting better! If they had experienced another area where there are less restrictive rules/regulations/laws in place, they might see the current situation in Texas as lacking in certain areas. That's not to say that there are not some very good firearms laws in Texas, there are, but some laws could be better. And the citizens could/would have more freedom.

BTW, I'm for both open carry and constitutional carry.