ordered online. These actions were not ‘anti-gun’ they were pro-business. Hardly the case!
TSRA members reported seeing signs on convenience stores. When we followed up, we discovered the signs had been provided to the various convenience store associations and then mailed to their member stores who posted the signs often thinking it was some new state requirement. Slowly but surely, the signs are coming down. In this case, the consumer has the ultimate control. Letting the store owner or manager know you’ll be spending your money elsewhere is a powerful tool. TSRA offers a pack of 25 business cards with this message. Order online or check with TSRA’s business office.
What Do We Expect
for the Coming Session? We expect clean up bills to be filed to correct weak language, some of which we’ve been concerned about for years. Remember laws are nothing more than word tools, sometimes they work for years and sometimes they don’t work at all. One long-standing concern is for a reference to “school sponsored activities” in PC 46.03(a)(1). The language is too broad and was originally written to prohibit a licensee from carrying on school grounds during an outdoor event held on the school grounds.
What happens if a bus load of kids pulls up to a Dairy Queen on the way home from a football game? Could the Dairy Queen be considered the location for a school sponsored activity? Correcting weak or unclear language in the law is necessary and continues.
Many Thanks to Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) and Lt. Governor Patrick for filing and supporting SB 16 a bill to remove the fee charged by the State of Texas for a handgun license.
TSRA strongly supports removing or at least lowering the fee charged by the state to obtain a handgun license. Our Texas license is the highest in the country.
In 1995 when CHL passed the $140 fee was included in statute for the initial license plus the $70 charge for the license renewal. At that time a 50 percent discount was added for seniors over 60 and a similar reduction in fee if the income is below the poverty level. Over the years retired military, law enforcement officers and other groups were given a similar or lower discount until today the burden of full-cost is on individuals under 60 who don’t fall into one of these specialty categories.
A license to carry a handgun is a personal protection decision and should not be a burden on the qualified adult who has made this decision.
In the House two bills have been filed in support of lowering the License to Carry fee: Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock
continued on page 34 January/February 2017 | 15
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