Texas: Pro-active and pro-gun laws.

[sapper740]

In direct contrast to the rest of the world, Texas politicians continue to pass common-sense laws and regulations for law-abiding citizens who own and carry firearms. Last year the State of Texas expanded the "Your home is your castle" right of self-defence doctrine to "Anywhere you have the legal right to be." So if you and your wife are accosted by a Bad Actor (legal term) when you are out for a nice dinner on Saturday night, all rights under the previous doctrine apply. You no longer have to prove that you made an effort to "retreat" before using lethal force to protect yourself. Further, the Bad Actor and his/her survivors are denied any Civil action against you, negating any second thoughts of financial ruin that one may have when an immediate need to defend themselves arises. Well and good. Now, Texas has passed another law forcing employers who have previously banned employee's vehicles in which firearms are stored from their parking lots to provide parking. Previously, anti-gun business owners had gone to extreme lengths to inconvenience their employees who have Concealed Handgun Licenses. A few went as far as putting fences around their employee parking lots to deny entry to known CHL owners. Under the new law, the business may still keep their parking compound, but they cannot discriminate against their employees who possess CHLs and must supply alternative parking for them. The reasoning behind the decision is that CHL laws are there for law abiding citizens to have the ability to defend themselves and this right shall not be abridged or negated by any action of others. Once again Texas is a shining example to the rest of the world of common sense, pro-active gun laws.

[Tony Smith]

So is a CHL something you must declare to an employer? I would have thought that would negate the concealment aspect of it, and that a "Don't ask, don't tell" principle would apply. I mean, if you came into work bragging that today you were in possesion of a handgun under your CHL, wouldn't expect the boss to say something? And if you remained discreet about it, wouldn't your boss be discriminating against you if he somehow became aware of your CHL and restricted your access or work conditions?

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

In principle, Tony... but if someone at work saw you were carrying, they might be doubting your intentions unless it was known you had a CHL.

[Tony Smith]

I guess that's what I'm asking: Is the law, or even Texan Common-sense, saying that you should make people aware you are carrying (as a deterrent), or are you supposed to remain discreet to avoid alarming others?

Carrying firearms in your day-to-day activities around town is an alien concept in much of the rest of the (Western) world, and far from being critical, I just wonder how things work where it is an accepted practice.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

I guess that's what I'm asking: Is the law, or even Texan Common-sense, saying that you should make people aware you are carrying (as a deterrent), or are you supposed to remain discreet to avoid alarming others?

Carrying firearms in your day-to-day activities around town is an alien concept in much of the rest of the (Western) world, and far from being critical, I just wonder how things work where it is an accepted practice.

When it came to concealed weapons ..I would be wondering if it were not more common the closer one got or lived to the Texacan border..

But the laws seem OK to me..knowing that the guy next to me in a crowd may be packing heat....but was he having a good day????....that may be the question????

I know I'm about 75% sane..but I don't know about him...
Yep..I would want a bigger caliber heater with a big clip and a couple of extra clips ..and maybe a bullet proof vest..or maybe a flack jacket...and a Kevlar helmet..and a squad of my buddies that I could count on ..including a LMG team and mortar team...

Where do we go from here..??

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

So is a CHL something you must declare to an employer? I would have thought that would negate the concealment aspect of it, and that a "Don't ask, don't tell" principle would apply. I mean, if you came into work bragging that today you were in possesion of a handgun under your CHL, wouldn't expect the boss to say something? And if you remained discreet about it, wouldn't your boss be discriminating against you if he somehow became aware of your CHL and restricted your access or work conditions?

No one purposely tells anyone that they are the holder of a CHL and during the training you are told to ensure that your concealed handgun does in fact, remain that...concealed. To give you a little background, here's what has been transpiring to entice the Texas State government to enact this law. Citgo corporation has an anti-gun CEO who has targeted various company facilities for spot vehicle checks under the guise of looking for employees who are using street drugs. This is legal under U.S. law for private property where such warnings are prominently displayed. The company pays the local Sheriff and other law enforcement officers to perform these checks (on employees only). Of course, they find handguns in the vehicles of some of the employees who are then forced to show their CHL's in order to not run afoul of the law. Company reps are present for the searches and soon find out who the CHL holders are. These CHL holders are then given an ultimatum by their employer: leave your handguns at home or you will be fired. This actually happened in Oklahoma and was well documented in the news and, of course, the NRA's magazine, "The American Rifleman". I personally ran afoul of the same anti-gun sentiment when I was working on a project for the Correctional Corporation of America on their new prison facility in Sayre, OK. and my handgun was found in my truck during a spot check. Fortunately, I have a CHL and my handgun was returned with no charges against me, although I was told to never bring my handgun onto their property again. The State of Oklahoma hasn't, as of yet, tackled this issue of forcing workers to choose between their 2nd Amendment rights and their jobs but Texas, that pro-active shining example of common sense has. God bless Texas and their freedom loving politicians.
Coincidentally, as I was reading the Dallas Morning news today there was an article about public hearings being held in Austin, TX. regarding a bill that would allow CHL holders to take their handguns to their university classes with them. This would negate the "weapons-free zone" advantage that the psychos currently enjoy when they go to shoot up a college. The politicians here in Texas continue to amaze with their clear headedness when it comes to allowing law abiding citizens to defend themselves. Derek.