TexasCHLforum.com

I'm disappointed to see that this thread has become moribund.

I guess that either (a) folks who love this country and make incredible efforts to come from overseas to make it their home, or (b) young folks who love this country and go out and put themselves in harms way to defend it, or both, don't happen to be a big enough donor pool to figure in the plans of the various political machines that we're all supposed to go along with, these days.

I'd suggest that anybody who claims to fight for liberty should support the Quixotic causes, at least occasionally, if for no other reason than to guard against becoming that which they purport to oppose.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Yeah, really. I'm not throwing anyone under the buss. But since you like analogies, this one is a lot more accurate. We just ran into a burning building and pulled out 535,000 CHLs but couldn't rescue 306 ages 18 to 20. That's a pretty successful rescue operation in most folks' opinion.

There are an estimated 306 Texas CHL's between 18 and 20 years of age. I calculated this by taking the number of licenses issued to people in that age range for the five year period from 2006 through 2010 (latest figures published). DPS Fiscal Year ReportsThe number of Green Card aliens with a Texas CHL is not published, but I suspect it is equally low.

Here is the problem with your proposal to keep the pressure on because of the age and citizenship issues. While it is my belief that the audit criteria the New Mexico DPS chose to use is arbitrary, that can't be said for eligibility requirements; that's in statute. Attempts to pressure a state police agency disregard it's own state's eligibility requirements when determining if another state's laws are "substantially similar" is doomed to failure. That change needs to be made legislatively in New Mexico.

Texas law on reciprocity was virtually identical and it was a huge problem. Another states eligibility and background check procedures had to be substantially similar or more stringent than Texas'. We had reciprocity with only about six states prior to changing the law. The change involved fist reassigning the responsibility for evaluating other states' carry laws and negotiating reciprocity agreements from DPS to the AG and the Governor. Secondly, reciprocity eligibility was reduced to simply having a criminal history background check performed before the other state issues a carry license. Tex. Gov't Code §411.173(b). After these two changes, Texas was able to grant reciprocity to numerous states, thus making Texas eligible to enter into dozens of agreements.

The change you want is going to have to come from the New Mexico Legislature.

Chas.

Thanks for the considered reply, Charles. The history of Texas reciprocity law was particularly enlightening. I do agree that any legislative change in NM must come from within NM (or at the behest of the US Supreme Court).

Here's the nub of my problem, though: What just happened in NM wasn't a legislative matter and isn't directly related to NM's internal eligibility requirements. It was some bureaucrat making work for himself and his department, with no regard for who might suffer as a result of what's either a grab for a chunk of budget or an attack on the Second Amendment.

As such it's worthy of contempt and, as long as one Texan is put at risk by the actions of this bureaucrat, I think it's entirely legitimate to continue to hold his masters' feet to the fire.

You're right that under 21s and Legal Aliens make up a small proportion of Texas CHL holders. IMHO, that makes it even more important that we stand up for them - it's the little guys that need the help, not the 800 pound gorillas.

I'll admit to an interest. I came by my US Citizenship the hard way, via a Green Card and a lot of work, time and expense. I applaud the process - it left me with a deep and abiding love and respect for our country and the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. It left me thankful that I live in Texas, where LPRs are acknowledged to have as much right to protect themselves and others as anybody else. But it also left me believing that, now that I've got mine (I regard US Citizenship as a great boon), I should stand up for the decent folk who have yet to get theirs (because US Citizenship is also a great responsibility).

Skiprr wrote:Does anyone know for certain what NM said about TX reciprocity prior to April 21 regarding under-21 and Resident Alien license holders?

I don't have the text available but I clearly recall that, when I was a Green Card holder, I made a detailed study of NM law and encountered nothing that led me to believe that it would be unlawful for me to carry there with a Texas CHL.

That's one reason that I'm mad. Up until a couple of weeks ago, every Texan with a CHL was fine in NM. Then, by administrative fiat, none of us were. And now, only some of us are, all at the whim of a faceless bureaucrat with a hidden agenda.

That's not right.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

chartreuse wrote:So what happens to the 20 year old veterans and the folks with green cards? Do we let them go hang, just 'cos NM has said it'll play ball with the rest of us, as long as we turn our backs on our neighbors?

Move to NM and fight to change the law. We can't do that here in Texas. We have plenty to do here at home.

Really?

We just effected positive change in NM, change that benefited many, but not all Texans. What's the calculus that says "this is the point where we throw the rump under the bus"?

Heartland Patriot wrote:

chartreuse wrote:So what happens to the 20 year old veterans and the folks with green cards? Do we let them go hang, just 'cos NM has said it'll play ball with the rest of us, as long as we turn our backs on our neighbors?

IMHO, I think so, simply because that isn't our state. It seems that people from elsewhere were able to have an effect on the State of New Mexico's concealed carry policy, IN A GOOD WAY.

OK, I see. We've got ours, so we should quit threatening an economic boycott? I'm not comfortable with the uncertainty that this creates for many Texans. I'm even less comfortable with some unelected bureaucrat in NM declaring that there's "two kinds of Texans".

Sure, it's not our state and, frankly, if they're going to carry on like this then they can keep it. NM won't see a penny of mine until they quit discriminating against my family, friends and neighbors. Didn't somebody once say "...we must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately"?

RHenriksen wrote:The Federal bill for national reciprocity would, I believe, remove states' ability to make these distinctions. If you have a carry permit from your home state, then all other states would *have* to accept it.

So lobbying your congress critters on behalf of that bill would be your next step.

Yes, the reciprocity bill is something we should support, but... we've just demonstrated that we hold a lot more sway over New Mexico than we do over, say, Maine.

Our fellow Texans are much more likely to be affected by the NM shenanigans than anything that happens back East. Why quit and turn our backs on them now, just when we've proven we have influence?

So what happens to the 20 year old veterans and the folks with green cards? Do we let them go hang, just 'cos NM has said it'll play ball with the rest of us, as long as we turn our backs on our neighbors?