Harleyman007
Regular Member
By Anna M. Tinsley
atinsley@star-telegram.com
Texans seeking concealed-handgun permits might soon need to get them in Texas to carry their weapons.
State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, said he's tired of Texans turning to states with cheaper fees and less training requirements -- some don't even require people to fire a weapon -- to get concealed-handgun licenses.
So he's filed a bill that would recognize only Texas-issued licenses for people who live in Texas. Visitors' concealed-handgun permits issued by other states would still be recognized.
"This would close a loophole," Burnam said. "People are bypassing us, using this loophole to pay half as much money and not get the training they should get. ... I want to make sure they have to get their license here."
Burnam's proposal has drawn criticism from some, including Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who, as a state senator, shepherded the concealed-handgun license measure through the Senate in 1995.
"When you start precluding recognition of licenses from other states, you have to be careful you don't have other states saying they won't recognize Texas licenses," Patterson said.
The proposal
Burnam said he learned last year that some Texans are turning to other states, including Utah, for concealed-handgun licenses. Classes for the Utah permit are held throughout Texas.
A Utah permit requires four hours of training with no live shooting, is good for five years and costs $65.25. A Texas permit requires 10 hours of training in the classroom and shooting range, is good for four years and costs $140.
Utah had issued nearly 250,000 permits through June. As of August, more than 6,000 of those had been issued to people living in Texas, records show.
Texas issued 138,768 permits in 2009, including more than 10,000 in Tarrant County, Texas Department of Public Safety records show.
Burnam said Texans seeking out-of-state licenses undermine public safety and have deprived the state of potentially $850,000 in fees over two years.
"I don't think it was ever anyone's intention that people could get this license without going through Texas' training," he said.
Reciprocity
State officials have worked to make sure Texas recognizes dozens of other states' permits -- and that those states recognize Texas permits.
Patterson said he renewed his license in Pennsylvania when Texas faced a backlog in processing license renewals a few years ago.
"It looked like I wouldn't have time to renew my Texas license ... and I didn't want to have a lapse," Patterson said. "Mine was issued by a sheriff in Pennsylvania. ... It was just an interim measure.
"Of course we could fix all this if Congress would pass a law that all states that allow concealed-handgun permits have to recognize all other permits, just like driver's licenses."
Lawmakers in New Mexico and Nevada withdrew recognition of Utah licenses in recent years because of worries about license requirements.
"A lot of states are concerned with what Utah does," said Marsha McCartney, a Dallas volunteer for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "It just seems to be a moneymaker for them. They're willing to issue a license to anyone.
"Why would Texas put in place these restrictions if you could go elsewhere? If you live in Texas and you're going to conceal carry, you ought to have a concealed license from Texas," she said. "It's common sense."
'Meat and potatoes'
Brad Brasuell, a concealed-handgun-permit instructor from Denton, has been conducting classes for more than three years to help Texans get Utah concealed-weapon permits. Before that, he taught classes for people seeking Texas permits.
"When I was doing the Texas class, I felt they weren't getting enough out of it," said Brasuell, who carries a Utah concealed-weapon permit. "The Utah class sticks to the meat and potatoes of what they need to know in the civilian world, without all the bureaucracy and fluff of the Texas program. People say the Texas program costs too much money and takes up too much time."
Brasuell said he's not worried that the Utah class doesn't include live shooting. "The shooting requirement in Texas is a joke and a falseness of security," he said. "I have seen people who never shot before pass it and feel they can defend themselves. That is not the truth."
Brasuell said Texas is not losing revenue from people getting out-of-state licenses because those people wouldn't carry a license at all if their only choice were to go through the Texas classes.
"It's a law enforcement class for civilians," he said.
Anna M. Tinsley,
817-390-7610
Looking for comments?
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/01/01/2738055/burnam-files-bill-in-legislature.html##ixzz19zdOlcJk
atinsley@star-telegram.com
Texans seeking concealed-handgun permits might soon need to get them in Texas to carry their weapons.
State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, said he's tired of Texans turning to states with cheaper fees and less training requirements -- some don't even require people to fire a weapon -- to get concealed-handgun licenses.
So he's filed a bill that would recognize only Texas-issued licenses for people who live in Texas. Visitors' concealed-handgun permits issued by other states would still be recognized.
"This would close a loophole," Burnam said. "People are bypassing us, using this loophole to pay half as much money and not get the training they should get. ... I want to make sure they have to get their license here."
Burnam's proposal has drawn criticism from some, including Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who, as a state senator, shepherded the concealed-handgun license measure through the Senate in 1995.
"When you start precluding recognition of licenses from other states, you have to be careful you don't have other states saying they won't recognize Texas licenses," Patterson said.
The proposal
Burnam said he learned last year that some Texans are turning to other states, including Utah, for concealed-handgun licenses. Classes for the Utah permit are held throughout Texas.
A Utah permit requires four hours of training with no live shooting, is good for five years and costs $65.25. A Texas permit requires 10 hours of training in the classroom and shooting range, is good for four years and costs $140.
Utah had issued nearly 250,000 permits through June. As of August, more than 6,000 of those had been issued to people living in Texas, records show.
Texas issued 138,768 permits in 2009, including more than 10,000 in Tarrant County, Texas Department of Public Safety records show.
Burnam said Texans seeking out-of-state licenses undermine public safety and have deprived the state of potentially $850,000 in fees over two years.
"I don't think it was ever anyone's intention that people could get this license without going through Texas' training," he said.
Reciprocity
State officials have worked to make sure Texas recognizes dozens of other states' permits -- and that those states recognize Texas permits.
Patterson said he renewed his license in Pennsylvania when Texas faced a backlog in processing license renewals a few years ago.
"It looked like I wouldn't have time to renew my Texas license ... and I didn't want to have a lapse," Patterson said. "Mine was issued by a sheriff in Pennsylvania. ... It was just an interim measure.
"Of course we could fix all this if Congress would pass a law that all states that allow concealed-handgun permits have to recognize all other permits, just like driver's licenses."
Lawmakers in New Mexico and Nevada withdrew recognition of Utah licenses in recent years because of worries about license requirements.
"A lot of states are concerned with what Utah does," said Marsha McCartney, a Dallas volunteer for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "It just seems to be a moneymaker for them. They're willing to issue a license to anyone.
"Why would Texas put in place these restrictions if you could go elsewhere? If you live in Texas and you're going to conceal carry, you ought to have a concealed license from Texas," she said. "It's common sense."
'Meat and potatoes'
Brad Brasuell, a concealed-handgun-permit instructor from Denton, has been conducting classes for more than three years to help Texans get Utah concealed-weapon permits. Before that, he taught classes for people seeking Texas permits.
"When I was doing the Texas class, I felt they weren't getting enough out of it," said Brasuell, who carries a Utah concealed-weapon permit. "The Utah class sticks to the meat and potatoes of what they need to know in the civilian world, without all the bureaucracy and fluff of the Texas program. People say the Texas program costs too much money and takes up too much time."
Brasuell said he's not worried that the Utah class doesn't include live shooting. "The shooting requirement in Texas is a joke and a falseness of security," he said. "I have seen people who never shot before pass it and feel they can defend themselves. That is not the truth."
Brasuell said Texas is not losing revenue from people getting out-of-state licenses because those people wouldn't carry a license at all if their only choice were to go through the Texas classes.
"It's a law enforcement class for civilians," he said.
Anna M. Tinsley,
817-390-7610
Looking for comments?
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/01/01/2738055/burnam-files-bill-in-legislature.html##ixzz19zdOlcJk