Texas: Pro-Gun Measure Introduced for the 2013 Legislative Session

16 November, 2012 | NRA-ILA

[marktwain]

November 12 was the first day that bills could be pre-filed for the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature. State Representative Dan Flynn (R-Van) has pre-filed House Bill 47, an NRA-backed measure that reduces the number of classroom instruction hours required for issuance of an original Concealed Handgun License (“CHL”) to four hours. Currently, students taking a Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) approved course for their first CHL must receive at least ten but not more than fifteen hours of classroom training from a qualified handgun instructor. Under this proposed legislation, the existing core elements of classroom instruction (firearms laws and deadly force statutes, handgun use and safety, nonviolent dispute resolution, and proper handgun storage methods) would still be fully covered during the course, and students would still be required to pass a written exam and demonstrate handgun proficiency at a shooting range. HB 47 would instill a more efficient and effective learning experience for those looking to obtain their CHL.

Please contact your state Representative* and urge them to co-author and support HB 47 by Rep. Flynn. * Note: There will be more than forty new members of the Texas House when the state legislature convenes on January 8, 2013. NRA-ILA will provide you an updated list of lawmakers and their contact information when it becomes available. In the meantime, email addresses and telephone numbers for returning House members can be found by clicking here.

[marktwain]

Four hours is common for many states. I recall some research that indicated that no measurable gains were noticed beyond four hours of training.

I would prefer constitutional carry, but this is an incremental step in the right direction.

[Longtooth]

Four, three, two, one, zero and away we go. Anyone hear of an “open carry” bill being introduced? Maybe the New Republic of Texas will take care of all this in the new constition.