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From the NRA:

Buckeye State Expands Right to Self-Defense! <http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?id=3997> On Wednesday, June 11, Governor Ted Strickland (D) signed Senate Bill 184, NRA-backed "Castle Doctrine" legislation. This bill protects the rights of innocent victims to defend themselves from criminal attack while expanding the rights of concealed-carry permit holders. Also included in SB 184 are several pro-gun provisions that make Ohio's concealed carry laws more "user friendly". Among these revisions are important provisions allowing people without a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to legally transport firearms in an automobile, and allowing license holders to pick up or drop off students in school safety zones. The bill also requires awards of legal fees to gun owners who get court orders to have firearms returned to them, decriminalizes concealed carry in privately owned parking garages, allows permit holders to carry a firearm in an unlocked glove compartment or center console and removes the written test requirement for renewal of a concealed handgun license.

- Jim

What!! We have got to work on Austin next session!!

Yeah, it looks like Louisiana is going to beat us on the parking lot provision, too.

- Jim

You know sometimes it's just hard to believe that I live in Texas with the concealed laws that are passing in other states. We should be setting the example, not trying to follow the lead of others. We should be the envy of other states, not the ones being envious.

I agree with you, but what can we do when the legislature isn't in session?

KC5AV wrote:I agree with you, but what can we do when the legislature isn't in session?

Campaign, lobby, cajole, plead, beg . . .

Can someone help me decipher this new Ohio law? As a Texas CHL holder, how may I best transport my handgun when driving in Ohio this summer? "Best" means having it accessible, if possible.

Also, any information on when this new Ohio law takes effect?

Hold on there folks. We have long had everything Ohio just got, except for employee parking lots.

From the NRA:Buckeye State Expands Right to Self-Defense! <http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?id=3997> On Wednesday, June 11, Governor Ted Strickland (D) signed Senate Bill 184, NRA-backed "Castle Doctrine" legislation.

We already have Castle Doctrine and I don't believe Ohio's has the presumption we have, but I may be wrong.

Also included in SB 184 are several pro-gun provisions that make Ohio's concealed carry laws more "user friendly". Among these revisions are important provisions allowing people without a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to legally transport firearms in an automobile,

We have that.

. . . and allowing license holders to pick up or drop off students in school safety zones.

We've had this for years.

The bill also requires awards of legal fees to gun owners who get court orders to have firearms returned to them,

I'm not sure what this addresses, but we don't have a problem with police confiscating guns outside criminal investigations.
If it's "emergency powers" protection, we have that too.

. . . decriminalizes concealed carry in privately owned parking garages,

If this is employer parking lots, then this is something we dont' have. If there was a general prohibition on guns in public parking lots, then this is a problem we've never had.

. . . allows permit holders to carry a firearm in an unlocked glove compartment or center console

Again, if this is employer parking lots, this is new, if not, we never had this problem.

. . .and removes the written test requirement for renewal of a concealed handgun license.

This is the only thing I see that definitely is something Texas doesn't have.

We're a lot better of in Texas than most states. We have fewer off-limits areas than all but two or three states and CHLs in most other states wish they could carry in a restaurant where alcohol is sold for on-premises consumption. There are improvements I want made in 2009, but we've made so much headway since 1995, we're now upset about and working on issues that were considered very minor only a few years ago.

Chas.

hmmmmm.........seems to me that if Texas doesnt get on the ball pretty soon regarding its CHL laws (employer parking lots asnd 30.06 restrictions being my main issues) the idea relocating to one of these more gun friendly states is going to become more attractive to a lot of people - Im already thinking about it myself because I love the idea of open carry being an option and I dont ever see that happening in Texas.

Jason73 wrote:hmmmmm.........seems to me that if Texas doesnt get on the ball pretty soon regarding its CHL laws (employer parking lots asnd 30.06 restrictions being my main issues) the idea relocating to one of these more gun friendly states is going to become more attractive to a lot of people - Im already thinking about it myself because I love the idea of open carry being an option and I dont ever see that happening in Texas.

30.06 is pretty much your friend. Most states allow any one to just post a gunbusters sign and your free to go. Here in Texas they have to post this humognous sign of contrasting colors and conspicuous place. The signs are invalid if posted by a gooberment authority or on gooberment property except the feds.

There is a concern that if we did get OC legalized it could lead to more 30.06 signs. Most citizens are clueless on just where we can carry and where we do carry.

Liberty wrote:30.06 is pretty much your friend.

Yes and no. 30.06 is very specific. If you violate it, it's a class A misdemeanor and you can kiss your CHL goodbye for seven years.

In many states, the offense is equivalent to spitting in public, a citation with a small fine.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:

Liberty wrote:30.06 is pretty much your friend.

Yes and no. 30.06 is very specific. If you violate it, it's a class A misdemeanor and you can kiss your CHL goodbye for seven years.

In many states, the offense is equivalent to spitting in public, a citation with a small fine.

- Jim

It should be changed so that the penalties are the same as for simple trespassing. The reality though is that there are very few valid signs, and there are very few convictions. I can only think of one place I ever go to that has a sign that actually restricts me (a refinery) and that one might be beaten in court.

I still haven't seen a 30.06 sign that met all the requirements of the law.

- Jim

Charles hits this one out of the park again...

A lot of us work real hard to lobby for these"tweeks" since 1995...Some of us do it independently, and some support the cause through organizations and other groups...

Every effort helps...I don't even call my State Rep or Senator anymore about this stuff...They are already onboard with the idea, or know where I would recommend they go with it...I do ask them (sometimes) who I can call or write to on behalf of the issue, to whom they would like for me to "Campaign, lobby, cajole, plead, beg, etc etc..."

Unfortunately one of those tweeks (employer parking lot bill) didn't get to the floor for a vote this time...And yet I believe that if it had, we would have had a clean sweep of all the big "tweeks" we worked hard for in support of, and in the testimony before those committees and in the overall communication to our elected officials this last session...

2009 is going to be a great year for us...

One thing though...Theree will definetly be a great amount of positive discussion when we get that 2009 Legislative tab in the forum going soon...

One more thing...First we need to make sure we have the "right" people in place for that session next year...I believe we should get that accomplished first, then this becomes a little easier when the time comes...

Liberty wrote:

Jason73 wrote:hmmmmm.........seems to me that if Texas doesnt get on the ball pretty soon regarding its CHL laws (employer parking lots asnd 30.06 restrictions being my main issues) the idea relocating to one of these more gun friendly states is going to become more attractive to a lot of people - Im already thinking about it myself because I love the idea of open carry being an option and I dont ever see that happening in Texas.

30.06 is pretty much your friend. Most states allow any one to just post a gunbusters sign and your free to go. Here in Texas they have to post this humognous sign of contrasting colors and conspicuous place. The signs are invalid if posted by a gooberment authority or on gooberment property except the feds.

There is a concern that if we did get OC legalized it could lead to more 30.06 signs. Most citizens are clueless on just where we can carry and where we do carry.

Having just returned from Ohio last week, even with our 30.06 and parking lot issues, we still have it way, way better than those living in the frosty north. We Texas CHL holders can NOT carry in that state without either Utah or Florida licenses. As for the GunBuster signs, those things are everywhere, even at Papa Johns carryout. The new laws passed helped those folks a bit but things are still a mish-mash of confusing laws. For instance, unless concealed, you must haul weapons unloaded in a car. If you have a magazine or speed loader with ammo in it located ANYWHERE in the car, the gun is loaded. At least this is my understanding.