Texas law enforcement ‘skeptical and nervous’ about constitutional carry gun bill

[Trooper224]

I believe this racks up there with not a danger to society, cops and all that blood in the streets stuff, but more of a how deep a legal hole one digs for himself by not taking the time to understand the laws of the land.

My last renewal was online. I checked the box that I read and understood the law updates. Not a lot of dedication to teaching the legal updates. I’ll see what the renewal looks like next time round. I still have 2 years to go.

Seriously, there are many states that have constitutional carry. How has their crime changed as a result of constitutional carry? I’m guessing not much or we would be hearing about all carnage 24/7/365

My state has had Constitutional Carry for five or six years. Blood isn't running in the streets and crime is no worse than before. It's really a "nothing to see here" issue.

[Rex G]

For several years, now, Texas has allowed unlicensed carry inside motor vehicles, by the owners and operators of said vehicles. (Carry inside vehicles while “traveling” had long been legal; the recent change did away with the “traveling” requirement.) That legislative change did not cause an increase of blood runnin’ in the streets.

Realistically, most folks, in Texas, who can legally carry handguns, whether licensed private citizens, off-the-clock peace officers, or qualified security/protection personnel, etc., leave their guns inside their vehicles, anyway. Allowing legal permit-less handgun carry, outside the vehicles, will probably not change this, much.

The Texas Penal Code has, historically, been VERY long-gun-friendly. Even so, violence with long guns has generally been anomalous. Yes, violence with long guns has occurred, but, like I just said, it has been anomalous, compared to violence committed with handguns.

Texas does have a huge problem with gang members and other prohibited persons carrying firearms, but this permit-less carry bill, HB 1927, does not allow gang members and other prohibited persons, to all-of-a-sudden start legally carrying.

So, I foresee the fuss as being much ado about nothing.

I do foresee a significant unintended consequence, that being a proliferation of correctly-/legally-worded signage, forbidding the carry of firearms and/or weapons on the premises. There may or may not be a rush, by businesses and other private entities, to install screening devices that detect weapons.

[Suvorov]

Is there any reputable evidence to suggest that states that have adopted “constitutional carry” have seen an increase in violent crime? “Blood in the streets” is always the cry but to my knowledge - has yet to materialize.

[OlongJohnson]

I intend to maintain my LTC even if this passes. Because:

1. Transfers without a call to the feebs.

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun-Fr...es_Act_of_1990

[Zincwarrior]

My state has had Constitutional Carry for five or six years. Blood isn't running in the streets and crime is no worse than before. It's really a "nothing to see here" issue.

Oh yea, I am not objecting to the legal change. I assume any idiot will be armed regardless of law.

[Rex G]

I intend to maintain my LTC even if this passes. Because:

1. Transfers without a call to the feebs.

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun-Fr...es_Act_of_1990

This. Notably, that GFSZ thing does have that language about being “licensed.”

[KellyinAvon]

So, it's about the money?

[Borderland]

There is a difference however. Without a licensing requirement, there is no requirement to understand what the appropriate self defense laws actually are.

It's everyone's responsibility to know what the law is in their state. The state here doesn't mandate that I know what the law is regarding concealed carry. No test of any kind to get a permit. Just fill out the form, get fingerprinted, pass a BC, pay the fee and you get a permit. Not a lot of permit holders getting jammed up here because they don't know the law.

Of course the criminal element won't care what the law is, they never do.

[HCM]

For several years, now, Texas has allowed unlicensed carry inside motor vehicles, by the owners and operators of said vehicles. (Carry inside vehicles while “traveling” had long been legal; the recent change did away with the “traveling” requirement.) That legislative change did not cause an increase of blood runnin’ in the streets.

Realistically, most folks, in Texas, who can legally carry handguns, whether licensed private citizens, off-the-clock peace officers, or qualified security/protection personnel, etc., leave their guns inside their vehicles, anyway. Allowing legal permit-less handgun carry, outside the vehicles, will probably not change this, much.

The Texas Penal Code has, historically, been VERY long-gun-friendly. Even so, violence with long guns has generally been anomalous. Yes, violence with long guns has occurred, but, like I just said, it has been anomalous, compared to violence committed with handguns.

Texas does have a huge problem with gang members and other prohibited persons carrying firearms, but this permit-less carry bill, HB 1927, does not allow gang members and other prohibited persons, to all-of-a-sudden start legally carrying.

So, I foresee the fuss as being much ado about nothing.

I do foresee a significant unintended consequence, that being a proliferation of correctly-/legally-worded signage, forbidding the carry of firearms and/or weapons on the premises. There may or may not be a rush, by businesses and other private entities, to install screening devices that detect weapons.

I'm all for people actually carrying guns, including via constitutional carry.

If you want to have an impact on crime increase penalties on the "car gun" idiots who leave unsecured guns in cars 24/7.

[HCM]

So, it's about the money?

No. Not in TX.

Unfortunately the thread has mixed comments about constitutional carry issues in Alabama, where county Sheriff's make money issuing carry permits with the issues of TX.

There have been a few LTC instructors whining about this but in TX the state issues Licenses To Carry and it's a break even operation at best.

Texas would have had constitutional carry several years ago but for the absolute idiots of Open Carry Texas and Open Tarrant County who thought threatening lawmakers in their offices and and at their homes was a smart move.

Instead, the lawmakers went from requiring licensing for concealed carry via the TX CHL to requiring licensing for both open and concealed carry as a little "fuck you" to the Open Carry idiots.