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I watched the testimony, and everything happened that I expected to happen. Most people don't know the current law. Thankfully, Springer and a couple of the witnesses schooled them on that. I was very thankful for the last witness, a woman with two kids and very supportive of the bill. She had some great points.

My state rep was at our opening ceremony for little league this morning and when I was talking to him I asked him to support 308, he said he would look into it and possibly sign on, he has signed on to other pro gun bills so hopefully he will carry through on this one as well.

Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry. I contacted Sen Burton and Rep. Collier about supporting it and have not received a response. It seems the longer it languishes in committee the more likely it is to die there.

cowhow wrote:Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry. I contacted Sen Burton and Rep. Collier about supporting it and have not received a response. It seems the longer it languishes in committee the more likely it is to die there.

As with many previous sessions, the budget is top priority. And according to today's news, that fight is coming to a head now (or just has). Once the budget is done, they'll move on to other items. I think that the Senate's quick movement on campus and open carry got everyone revved up earlier than normal. There is still plenty of time left.

I remember residing in a previous state when it passed "bar carry" after trying for 3 consecutive legislative session against a detemined opposition. All of the major cities' newspapers were running lurid editorials proclaiming "guns and alcohol don't mix!" "There will be blood in the streets!" All the usual baloney. Actually, many of the same fears (and baloney) I read in this message thread.

I recall one major newspaper running a story after bar carry was legal for one year where it had the integrity to point out that despite all the fears leading up to the bill's passage, the reality was a total non-event. There were no troubles, no blood in the street, no drunken brawls involving CHL's. They admitted the fear campaign was completely unfounded.

There is no doubt in my mind that Texas CHL's able to carry in all locations--including bars--will similarly be a total non-problem.

Jumping Frog wrote:I remember residing in a previous state when it passed "bar carry" after trying for 3 consecutive legislative session against a detemined opposition. All of the major cities' newspapers were running lurid editorials proclaiming "guns and alcohol don't mix!" "There will be blood in the streets!" All the usual baloney. Actually, many of the same fears (and baloney) I read in this message thread.

I recall one major newspaper running a story after bar carry was legal for one year where it had the integrity to point out that despite all the fears leading up to the bill's passage, the reality was a total non-event. There were no troubles, no blood in the street, no drunken brawls involving CHL's. They admitted the fear campaign was completely unfounded.

There is no doubt in my mind that Texas CHL's able to carry in all locations--including bars--will similarly be a total non-problem.

I expect the same once it comes up for debate in the House.

cowhow wrote:Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry.

Exactly right!! So much political capital was spent on how we can carry (open-carry) as opposed to where we can carry (everywhere) that HB308 will not pass. That's a crying shame as it impacts 840,000+ CHLs in a manner that increases personal safety. Unfortunately, that argument has fallen on deaf ears. Not one life will be saved by open-carry, but how many people will be robbed, assaulted, raped or murdered walking between their cars and a location that is statutorily off-limits? Yeah, I'm bitter, very bitter!

Chas.

I was hoping it would have been moved along under the cover of the other debates.

The "holster definition" argument is just rubbing salt in the wound.

Sometimes I hate being right.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

cowhow wrote:Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry.

Exactly right!! So much political capital was spent on how we can carry (open-carry) as opposed to where we can carry (everywhere) that HB308 will not pass. That's a crying shame as it impacts 840,000+ CHLs in a manner that increases personal safety. Unfortunately, that argument has fallen on deaf ears. Not one life will be saved by open-carry, but how many people will be robbed, assaulted, raped or murdered walking between their cars and a location that is statutorily off-limits? Yeah, I'm bitter, very bitter!

Chas.

Do you really think it is completely dead? Anything we can do to revive it?

We have been going on with OC and CC for so long, hopefully these two issues clear this session so that we can get things like this front and center in future sessions. This and making 30.06 a non-arrestable class C.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

cowhow wrote:Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry.

Exactly right!! So much political capital was spent on how we can carry (open-carry) as opposed to where we can carry (everywhere) that HB308 will not pass. That's a crying shame as it impacts 840,000+ CHLs in a manner that increases personal safety. Unfortunately, that argument has fallen on deaf ears. Not one life will be saved by open-carry, but how many people will be robbed, assaulted, raped or murdered walking between their cars and a location that is statutorily off-limits? Yeah, I'm bitter, very bitter!

Chas.

Is that the official word?......

I find it interesting that a legislative goal that the NRA and the TSRA has been working on for several sessions behind the scenes quietly is still not going to pass in this session.....but two issues that got picked up by some very loud, vocal groups working outside of the NRA and TSRA and in the media spotlight have got a pretty good chance of passing in just a couple of legislative sessions.

Different strategies....different results, I guess.....

mojo84 wrote:The "holster definition" argument is just rubbing salt in the wound.

True dat.

Jason K wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

cowhow wrote:Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry.

Exactly right!! So much political capital was spent on how we can carry (open-carry) as opposed to where we can carry (everywhere) that HB308 will not pass. That's a crying shame as it impacts 840,000+ CHLs in a manner that increases personal safety. Unfortunately, that argument has fallen on deaf ears. Not one life will be saved by open-carry, but how many people will be robbed, assaulted, raped or murdered walking between their cars and a location that is statutorily off-limits? Yeah, I'm bitter, very bitter!

Chas.

Is that the official word?......

I find it interesting that a legislative goal that the NRA and the TSRA has been working on for several sessions behind the scenes quietly is still not going to pass in this session.....but two issues that got picked up by some very loud, vocal groups working outside of the NRA and TSRA and in the media spotlight have got a pretty good chance of passing in just a couple of legislative sessions.

Different strategies....different results, I guess.....

A little backhand jab there. What is being passed is not what the loud obnoxious idiots were promoting. What is being passed is what the NRA and TSRA has been working on and supporting. It was said from the very beginning what the obnoxious ones were promoting wouldn't have a chance and that is exactly how it is playing out.

FWIW, I sent the Gov and my House rep an email asking them to get behind HB 308.

Stole some of Charles' language about "OC will be nice, but 308 will save lives."

Jason K wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

cowhow wrote:Not seeing any movement on this bill. I'm afraid it got lost in all the furor about campus carry and open carry.

Exactly right!! So much political capital was spent on how we can carry (open-carry) as opposed to where we can carry (everywhere) that HB308 will not pass. That's a crying shame as it impacts 840,000+ CHLs in a manner that increases personal safety. Unfortunately, that argument has fallen on deaf ears. Not one life will be saved by open-carry, but how many people will be robbed, assaulted, raped or murdered walking between their cars and a location that is statutorily off-limits? Yeah, I'm bitter, very bitter!

Chas.

. . . .but two issues that got picked up by some very loud, vocal groups working outside of the NRA and TSRA and in the media spotlight have got a pretty good chance of passing in just a couple of legislative sessions.

You could not be more wrong! OCT/OCTC and the other bomb-throwers are the reason we are burning through so much political capital to pass open-carry. It won't pass because of them, but in spite of them. NRA had open-carry in our candidate questionnaire which sends a signal that it is a flagship issue. We started working on open-cary before the end of the 2013 legislative session quietly and effectively laying the foundation for passing it in 2015. We are the reason there was an off-season legislative Interim Study on open-carry. That too is a signal to legislators. (Unfortunately, some of the people who showed up did more damage.) If the open-carry zealots had heeded warnings that their tactics were hurting the issue and stayed out of the media, licensed open-carry would have passed with far less effort. But no, they were far more concerned with staying in the public eye than in passing open-carry. Their leaders committed the cardinal sin of politics, they put their own fame and egos ahead of the issue. Every time they did more damage in the media/public eye, it costs us more political capital to repair that damage.

HB308 (CHL everywhere) is my issue and one I have promoted for 10 years. It is not and never has been an NRA or TSRA issue, so neither organization "has been working on for several sessions behind the scenes quietly" but failing to pass it. It will take a lot of effort and political capital to pass and there's only so much to go around in any given legislative session. Both of your contentions are wrong: 1) OCT has not been able to pass open-carry; and 2) the NRA has not failed to pass "CHL everywhere." I'm sure you and OCT will claim claim otherwise, but if OCT were as effective as you would have us believe, then why is it that so-called "constitutional carry" Bills (SB342/HB195) didn't even get a public hearing? Both Bills were DOA because OCT/OCTC and other bomb-throwers cannot get anything passed. They are now trying to make it appear that they support licensed open-carry so they can falsely claim to have had a victory in 2015.

Chas.