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I see these two issues - Removing prohibited places for license holders, and Constitutional Carry (CC) - as the bills most likely to get the most exposure (especially CC) and push to pass. I will not submit my preference, and I don't want to see either one railroad the other, as I see them as both important.
I foresee people on this forum and political ties supporting getting prohibited places removed, while more of the general public and media calls for CC. Which is fine.

So my question - what do we need to do in order for both of these bills to get exposure and support, and them to get filed in such a way that both could pass and not cause difficulties for the other? I would even be ok with CC for all places that current license holders can carry, and license holders having prohibited places removed for them. Not ideal, but I would be ok with it for now, and I would think that bills written like this would cause the least amount of interference for each other.
Obviously I will be writing my reps/senators and getting my family to do so as well, but I would think if we could get the bill authors on the same page with each other, it would be easier to pass these bills with minimal interference. What else can we do?

Not that I have personally polled all of the Texas Legislators, but I think that Constitutional Carry would be a much tougher sale, just basing my opinion on the push back to Open Carry/Campus Carry etc.
I think that we, even in the great State of Texas, still have enough fear mongers that allowing every person legally able to own a handgun, to legally carry that handgun in public will scare the bejeesus out of the left, and weaken the spines of the right.

I think that we as LTC holders have a better chance of removing prohibited locations, at least some at a time, mainly using our proven track record of being law abiding, and non-threatening, in general. I think the biggest obstacle, in that battle will be schools, and courtrooms. It will take a real concerted effort on our part to even get these items presented, and my greatest fear is that some of those who shall not be named, will again take to the streets en-mass walk around schools and court houses chanting and holding signs, which will totally destroy any trust we may gain otherwise.JMHO

Jusme wrote:Not that I have personally polled all of the Texas Legislators, but I think that Constitutional Carry would be a much tougher sale, just basing my opinion on the push back to Open Carry/Campus Carry etc.
I think that we, even in the great State of Texas, still have enough fear mongers that allowing every person legally able to own a handgun, to legally carry that handgun in public will scare the bejeesus out of the left, and weaken the spines of the right.

I think that we as LTC holders have a better chance of removing prohibited locations, at least some at a time, mainly using our proven track record of being law abiding, and non-threatening, in general. I think the biggest obstacle, in that battle will be schools, and courtrooms. It will take a real concerted effort on our part to even get these items presented, and my greatest fear is that some of those who shall not be named, will again take to the streets en-mass walk around schools and court houses chanting and holding signs, which will totally destroy any trust we may gain otherwise.JMHO

completely. I think so much political capital was spent on getting open carry passed, that it will be, IMHO, at least 3 or 4 legislative sessions for constitutional carry to be even considered. If even then. I believe it to be a dead issue for several years to come.

Whereas, removing prohibited locations, much like in the last session we had HB 308, has a much greater chance of being considered. And it should be. Again, IMHO, it is much more important to the LTC community than constitutional carry, and we should spend a LOT of political capital in getting that passed.

John Lott has done several studies relating the number of concealed carry holders with cost and ease of obtaining a permit. I'd like to see a priority on increasing the law abiding armed population of Texas by simplifying and reducing the cost of permits.

TXBO wrote:John Lott has done several studies relating the number of concealed carry holders with cost and ease of obtaining a permit. I'd like to see a priority on increasing the law abiding armed population of Texas by simplifying and reducing the cost of permits.

Senator Huffman (State Affairs chairwoman) has already voiced support for reducing the LTC fees. Currently, it generates revenue for the state. She knows that it should not.

Unlicensed open-carry will not pass in 2017 and it may not even be filed. Open-carry groups will focus on NRA/TSRA bills and issues trying to once again take credit for bills that we passed last session and that we will pass in 2017. They did that at the end of 2015 and they will do so again in 2017. They show up at a public hearing on NRA/TSRA bills, testify in support, then claim they got the bills passed. Thankfully, only the folks in their echo chamber buy that garbage.

Removal of off-limits areas for LTCs should be the single flagship bill in 2017 and if it is not, then a great disservice has been inflicted on the most law-abiding of Texans. The political climate is perfect to see the bill pass. Local officials are blatantly ignoring Tex. Gov't Code §411.209 (SB273), playing games with lame excuses that sound like they came from a five year old, and risking taxpayer money while doing so.

So-called "gun free zones" are a magnet for criminals whether they come to commit mass murder or to rape or rob a lone victim. With the increased threat of attacks by terrorists, the need to remove unnecessary off-limits areas is greater now than in the past. Even Harvard agrees that "gun free zones" are a magnet for violent criminals.

I don't care if we pass nothing else -- remove off-limits killing zones now!!!

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote: I don't care if we pass nothing else -- remove off-limits killing zones now!!!

Chas.

Outlaw human hunting grounds!

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Unlicensed open-carry will not pass in 2017 and it may not even be filed. Open-carry groups will focus on NRA/TSRA bills and issues trying to once again take credit for bills that we passed last session and that we will pass in 2017. They did that at the end of 2015 and they will do so again in 2017. They show up at a public hearing on NRA/TSRA bills, testify in support, then claim they got the bills passed. Thankfully, only the folks in their echo chamber buy that garbage.

Removal of off-limits areas for LTCs should be the single flagship bill in 2017 and if it is not, then a great disservice has been inflicted on the most law-abiding of Texans. The political climate is perfect to see the bill pass. Local officials are blatantly ignoring Tex. Gov't Code §411.209 (SB273), playing games with lame excuses that sound like they came from a five year old, and risking taxpayer money while doing so.

So-called "gun free zones" are a magnet for criminals whether they come to commit mass murder or to rape or rob a lone victim. With the increased threat of attacks by terrorists, the need to remove unnecessary off-limits areas is greater now than in the past. Even Harvard agrees that "gun free zones" are a magnet for violent criminals.

I don't care if we pass nothing else -- remove off-limits killing zones now!!!

Chas.

AMEN!!

I am always left scratching my head when in Texas we have:

Super Majority in Senate
Super Majority in House
A Governor who is arguably the most pro gun in our State's History
A Republican State Platform that specifically calls for Constitutional Carry while retaining licensing for Reciprocity purposes

And we still talk about "Political Capital." How about our elected Republican public servants just start acting as such?

My agenda would be:

- 30.06/30.07 have no force of law without oral notification of Trespass (before anyone jumps on me, look at all the states where this is the case)

- Strike the requirement to show CHL/ inform. Have you watch the news lately? There are to many fake cops out there right now. Imagine you get pulled over by one of these guys, had over your ID/CHL, he takes your gun, etc. Doesn't sound like a situation that would end well.

- So called "Constitutional Carry." If there are any amongst us that don't think CC can work in Texas, please show me examples of how this has been a problem in other states that have it, and then as a follow up explain why Texans aren't as good of people as the residents of those states.


JMHO

Charles L. Cotton wrote:I don't care if we pass nothing else -- remove off-limits killing zones now!!!

Chas.

What can I do to help.??

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Unlicensed open-carry will not pass in 2017 and it may not even be filed. Open-carry groups will focus on NRA/TSRA bills and issues trying to once again take credit for bills that we passed last session and that we will pass in 2017. They did that at the end of 2015 and they will do so again in 2017. They show up at a public hearing on NRA/TSRA bills, testify in support, then claim they got the bills passed. Thankfully, only the folks in their echo chamber buy that garbage.

Removal of off-limits areas for LTCs should be the single flagship bill in 2017 and if it is not, then a great disservice has been inflicted on the most law-abiding of Texans. The political climate is perfect to see the bill pass. Local officials are blatantly ignoring Tex. Gov't Code §411.209 (SB273), playing games with lame excuses that sound like they came from a five year old, and risking taxpayer money while doing so.

So-called "gun free zones" are a magnet for criminals whether they come to commit mass murder or to rape or rob a lone victim. With the increased threat of attacks by terrorists, the need to remove unnecessary off-limits areas is greater now than in the past. Even Harvard agrees that "gun free zones" are a magnet for violent criminals.

I don't care if we pass nothing else -- remove off-limits killing zones now!!!

Chas.

Charles Cotton for governor!!

steveincowtown wrote:I am always left scratching my head when in Texas we have:

Super Majority in Senate
Super Majority in House
A Governor who is arguably the most pro gun in our State's History
A Republican State Platform that specifically calls for Constitutional Carry while retaining licensing for Reciprocity purposes

And we still talk about "Political Capital." How about our elected Republican public servants just start acting as such?

My agenda would be:

- 30.06/30.07 have no force of law without oral notification of Trespass (before anyone jumps on me, look at all the states where this is the case)

- Strike the requirement to show CHL/ inform. Have you watch the news lately? There are to many fake cops out there right now. Imagine you get pulled over by one of these guys, had over your ID/CHL, he takes your gun, etc. Doesn't sound like a situation that would end well.

- So called "Constitutional Carry." If there are any amongst us that don't think CC can work in Texas, please show me examples of how this has been a problem in other states that have it, and then as a follow up explain why Texans aren't as good of people as the residents of those states.


JMHO

I have no doubt that it could work in Texas just as well as it does other places, however, even with the Super Majority, in the House and Senate, a lot of them only won their office by the slimmest of margins, and have constituents, who don't put the Second Amendment at the top of their priority list. We have won a lot of victories, and will continue to do so, but I think that a full on assault, pushing for Constitutional Carry, will result in some of the more liberal Republicans, to back away, and bow to pressure from the left, in their districts.

While Concealed Carry has been around a long time, it was "out of sight and out of mind" until Open Carry brought it back to the forefront, add Campus Carry to the mix, and you can already see the push back. If we can get prohibited places reduced or eliminated, that will be the bigger victory in this next session. JMHO.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Unlicensed open-carry will not pass in 2017 and it may not even be filed. Open-carry groups will focus on NRA/TSRA bills and issues trying to once again take credit for bills that we passed last session and that we will pass in 2017. They did that at the end of 2015 and they will do so again in 2017. They show up at a public hearing on NRA/TSRA bills, testify in support, then claim they got the bills passed. Thankfully, only the folks in their echo chamber buy that garbage.

Removal of off-limits areas for LTCs should be the single flagship bill in 2017 and if it is not, then a great disservice has been inflicted on the most law-abiding of Texans. The political climate is perfect to see the bill pass. Local officials are blatantly ignoring Tex. Gov't Code §411.209 (SB273), playing games with lame excuses that sound like they came from a five year old, and risking taxpayer money while doing so.

So-called "gun free zones" are a magnet for criminals whether they come to commit mass murder or to rape or rob a lone victim. With the increased threat of attacks by terrorists, the need to remove unnecessary off-limits areas is greater now than in the past. Even Harvard agrees that "gun free zones" are a magnet for violent criminals.

I don't care if we pass nothing else -- remove off-limits killing zones now!!!

Chas.

x1000

I'd love to see professional sporting events removed as a prohibited area. MLB has a no gun policy but Harris County owns Minute Maid Park so it would be prohibited from posting.

Jusme wrote:

I have no doubt that it could work in Texas just as well as it does other places, however, even with the Super Majority, in the House and Senate, a lot of them only won their office by the slimmest of margins, and have constituents, who don't put the Second Amendment at the top of their priority list. We have won a lot of victories, and will continue to do so, but I think that a full on assault, pushing for Constitutional Carry, will result in some of the more liberal Republicans, to back away, and bow to pressure from the left, in their districts.

Jusme, most who were elected in Texas in 2014 won by HUGE margins. I can count on one hand the elections for State Senate and House that were even close:

http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist175_state.htm


As to there being some liberal Republican's that have infiltrated the ranks, you will get no argument from me there! I don't feel like we should let it Straus us out too much though.