TexasCHLforum.com

I'd like to see one change: let students challenge the test. If they pass, they can skip the class. Renewals too, with special emphasis on laws that have changed since their last test.

seamusTX wrote:Texas is possibly the most difficult and expensive of the shall-issue states. That has to discourage people. Many states require no class or test, just paperwork. Some have fees as low as $20.

I'm curious what percentage of the population is disqualified by a conviction, unpaid child support, etc., and how many are discouraged because they have something questionable in their past that they're unsure of, like having been on antidepressants.

- Jim

speaking of antidepressants, what does the state do send out your name to some large medical records base to get medical info on you? what if you were in some tuype of private clinic for a while. how would they know that? these records go back what 5yrs, 10yrs???

stormbringerr wrote:speaking of antidepressants, what does the state do send out your name to some large medical records base to get medical info on you?

I don't know whether they do anything like that. They could, but I don't know if they do.

I don't work for DPS or know anyone who does. We (in this forum) rarely hear about people who were denied.

Having been on antidepressants or entering a voluntary treatment center in and of itself will not result in a denial. It's just the kind of thing that might discourage people from applying for a CHL.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:

stormbringerr wrote:speaking of antidepressants, what does the state do send out your name to some large medical records base to get medical info on you?

I don't know whether they do anything like that. They could, but I don't know if they do.

I don't work for DPS or know anyone who does. We (in this forum) rarely hear about people who were denied.

Having been on antidepressants or entering a voluntary treatment center in and of itself will not result in a denial. It's just the kind of thing that might discourage people from applying for a CHL.

I wonder if this sort of thing doesn't encourage buying these type of pills over the internet or from Mexico/Canada. If I needed them I wouldn't be thrilled about letting big brother know. These type of rules from the government is what creates a thriving underground drug economy.
I wonder if the potential of getting labeled by the government will prevent people from seeking treatment. I know if I were having those types of problems. I wouldn't want the information made to every cop, and gun grabbin DA. If they have this information so does every landlord, credit agency and potential employer. The end result has got to be that more crazy people will resist getting help.

Although 250K+ is a small number for a state the size of Texas, the number of folks that actually carry, and have a CHL, is probably a lot smaller. Many of the CHL folks I know don't carry often...or at all. I think the folks that take it serious are a very small minority.

If the price was lower, and the class time less, then there probably would be many more folks with CHL's. But I suspect it would not appreciably increase the number of folks that actually carry.

Liberty wrote: I wonder if the potential of getting labeled by the government will prevent people from seeking treatment. I know if I were having those types of problems. I wouldn't want the information made to every cop, and gun grabbin DA. If they have this information so does every landlord, credit agency and potential employer. The end result has got to be that more crazy people will resist getting help.

It's already a factor. Most people don't think about whether getting treatment will affect their ability to own weapons or get a CHL. They worry about jobs and health insurance.

- Jim

TX Rancher wrote:Although 250K+ is a small number for a state the size of Texas, the number of folks that actually carry, and have a CHL, is probably a lot smaller. .

This is very true.

On the other hand, there are a lot of folks, expecially in rural areas who have carried in their vehicle for years and will continue to do so. The improvements to PC 46.02 brought about bh HB1815 will probably increase that number.

Of course that only applies to car carry but it is a start. Perhaps if folks get accustomed to carrying in their car from time to time, they will better understand the need for full time carry.

I ran the numbers with the census not long ago, and if I remember correctly the 250K CHL'ers worked out to about 1 in every 75 adults in the state. When you think about the number of folks one sees in a day, or the number of folks in a WalMart in a day, that adds up to quite a few folks we may encounter in our regular activities. As was said, they are not all carrying, but still a a lot of people.

when i think of all the small towns ive been through it doesn't seem like a lot.

Quote: "Many of the CHL folks I know don't carry often...or at all. I think the folks that take it serious are a very small minority."

From almost a decade of feedback in CHL renewal classes, I strongly agree. Unfortunately.

Texas has 22.9 million people and 247,345 permits. For Massachusetts, which has 6.4 million people, the numbers are quite high: “In Massachusetts, 203,302 residents were licensed to carry concealed weapons as of August, according to the state Criminal History Systems Board.� Texas would have to have over 726,000 permits to have the same rate of issuance.

Interesting, found this quote from an article in Dec. 2006 from the following site...
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/12/mas ... ndgun.html

kingalls wrote:Texas has 22.9 million people and 247,345 permits. For Massachusetts, which has 6.4 million people, the numbers are quite high: “In Massachusetts, 203,302 residents were licensed to carry concealed weapons as of August, according to the state Criminal History Systems Board.� Texas would have to have over 726,000 permits to have the same rate of issuance.

Interesting, found this quote from an article in Dec. 2006 from the following site...
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/12/mas ... ndgun.html

Things are a little different in Massachusetts. You need the Class A permit to even possess a handgun. You can not purchase a handgun without one. and being caught without a license has a mandatory 1 year jail sentence.

txinvestigator wrote:

stormbringerr wrote:i just read on the dps site that their are 258,162 active ccw license holders in Texas.
this does not include instructors.
does this number seem right to you? i would have thought their would have been at least 500,000. in Texas anyway.

We have CHL's in Texas.

thanks,i corrected it.