Tell the Senate to prioritize Constitutional Carry.

Sen. Springer filed SB 540, Constitutional Carry, which is waiting for a hearing in the Senate State Affairs committee and is chaired by Sen. Bryan Hughes. Even after SB 540 does get a hearing, it is critical for the Lt. Governor to commit to helping to move it to the floor.

Please call the office of Senator Hughes: (512) 463-0101. Ask them to set SB 540 for a hearing right away.  

Call the office of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick: (512) 463-0001. Tell them it’s critical for Texas to pass Constitutional Carry this session.

Will Do!

BIGGER_HAMMER

https://texas.gunowners.org/constitutional-carry-next-steps/

Call Dan Patrick’s and Senator Hughes’s offices and tell them to get SB 540 for the hearing this Thursday

Calls made. Hope it happens this session.

I've already made plans to travel to Austin to be there.

Bastards had better Roll Forward w/ SB 540

https://texas.gunowners.org/goa-texas-bullet-4-6-2021/

Any hearing of CC won't be this Thursday, but we should request it be heard next week.  There's a big group of pro-gun bills to get through Thursday.  The following week would be the optimal time for a CC hearing, so request one for then.

Also, there will be 8 gun bills - 5 good and 3 bad, to be heard Thursday in the Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee.  It would be a big help to have pro-gun comments on these bills.
Thursday: House Homeland Security Hearing
Below is the link to the House Public Comment site, and if you click on the above GOA Bullet, you'll see information about all the bills (scroll down to the "Thursday: House Homeland Security Hearing" section.  

https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c420

Thanks!

Called & E-mailed:

Lt. Gov Dan Patrick

Gov. Abbott

State Senator (Larry Taylor) & my State Representative to let them ALL know that I expect "Constitutional Carry - SB540" to become LAW in THIS session.

Doing my Part in the Fight for Firearms Freedom!  Everybody - Step UP and Reach OUT if we really WANT this to HAPPEN in THIS YEAR!!

BIGGER_HAMMER

@1stID  on the GOA - it has them ALL listed, but help a guy out with which are the GOOD ONES we support Vs. which are the BAD ONEs we oppose.

Thanks for spelling it out for me (... "speak as you might to young child or a Golden retriever" )...

BIGGER_HAMMER

Some may be interested in this one also.

https://kniferights.org/legislative-update/texas-knife-law-reform-bill-passes-out-of-committee/?fbclid=IwAR3BR3-mQ7kPTgEeFcQGxevDmMCeRfr61BKNOG51TY6CrZi5kBACLHogKCY

Perfect timing

BAD BILLS!!!

HB 118 Basically is universal background checks, just like in California

HB 791 Bans you from carrying a long gun within 500 feet of ANYONE protesting, including one person on the corner running his mouth.

HB 880 Is a Lie & Try bill, requires a FFL to contact DPS if you fail a background check for ANY REASON, including a false denial.

If you are in Austin and near the Capitol run in for a few minutes sign up to testify against the bills. You don't really need to stay and testify but it gets on the record.

Went to the link provided for the Gun Bills and posted my opposition to those three bills.

HB 118 Basically is universal background checks, just like in California

HB 791 Bans you from carrying a long gun within 500 feet of ANYONE protesting, including one person on the corner running his mouth.

HB 880 Is a Lie & Try bill, requires a FFL to contact DPS if you fail a background check for ANY REASON, including a false denial.

It wasn't difficult - I strongly urge all Firearms & Freedom Loving Texans to Take a few Minutes to COMMENT on the LEGISLATION that will affect YOU as a Texas Gun Owner.

https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c420

Are these & the other Bills still on schedule to be heard on this Thursday?  

I might drive up from Houston to attend.  If anyone is interested in carpooling LMK!

The MORE of US politely Expressing our Reasoned OPPOSITION to BAD BILLS & SUPPORT for GOOD BILLS will help us GET WHAT WE WANT!


BIGGER_HAMMER

Done!

How do "WE" feel about these bills ...

HB 781 by Sanford

HB 2112 by Metcalf

HB 2169 by Sanford

HB 2967 by Cason

HB 3628 by Schaefer

Awaiting information to "YEA!" or "NAY!!" in comments.

BIGGER_HAMMER

@DonOfKalifornia / @1stID

Thanks for posting.  Submitted

Support them, some do the same thing

10-4!

Holy Moly!!

That is SUPER EASY!!  EVERY TEXAN NEEDS TO BE DOING THIS!!!

going to post to GD to get more Texas Eyes...

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/TEXANS-ONLY-Constitutional-Carry-and-Pro-Gun-Bills-STEP-UP-or-Shut-Up-/5-2441877/


BIGGER_HAMMER

I've sent cash to GOA, Made the right calls and more. "The support just wasn't there". "The timing just wasn't right". "We just ran out of time". Heard it all before. Our "Rights" are traded like old baseball cards for favors in Austin. Corruption rules the day again. I truly hope I'm wrong but Dennis Bonnen is STILL in play in Austin. Many other closet commies as well.

Thank YOU to DonOfKalifornia & others like 1stID for your efforts, information, links & advice to advance Firearms Freedom & Gun Rights in Texas...  

I owe you some BBQ & Beers my Friends!!!

BIGGER_HAMMER

Left a voice message for Senator Hughes and spoke with a very nice lady in the Lt Governor's office asking them to please support and help move this bill forward.

Maybe this time..

Just called both offices (Sen Hughes & Lt. Gov. Patrick).  Emailed & called my Rep & Senator as well for the same. Hope it helps.

It's frustrating that this is even a question/something we have to push our elected officials to do.

Can you give me a little more explanation on how they can be used badly? Like universal background checks, to someone who doesn't support guns, they're like it's protecting people. How do i put it in laymans terms of why its bad. I dont want to call and sound like an idiot either, so if yall can school me or send me the right place to get a rundown on things. It would be appreciated.

What is the end there? If someone fails a NICS, a hit is already generated in NCIC, wtf is DPS going to do with it? Its already in NCIC. If DPS stops someone and they run NCIC, they'll see the NICS hit of denial. There is already that reporting system in place.

What is DPS supposed to do with the info? What are the required to do? "Ok, thanks?" or what?

Also, what do the laws governing FFL deal with privacy? If its a health related or drug related issue, I see HIPPA and poisonous tree stuff..NCIC doesn't tell us why NICS was denied for a reason.

Best bet is go to the texas.gunowners.org website and read the talking points. Rachel and Felisha put a lot of work into the GOA talking points. There are handouts there for every Texas bill.

One thing I talk about on universal background checks is they have been in place for all guns in California since 1992, it made no difference in the crime rate. Considering over 80% of guns used in crimes are stolen guns.

Ignoring the corruption over the last three sessions has gotten us where???

I have seen it up close and personal. The SMELL isn't something you'll ever forget nor should you. Kind of like "smelling" a Copperhead. Smells like rancid meat. I didn't get to be rich and retired at fifty by being a dumbass. Like I said before. I TRULY hope I'm wrong.

When the Fed barely prosecutes people lying on a 4473, what is the DPS to do? Many times a false denial can get straightened out when you contact NICS/FBI  and find the problem was not you. That is why it is better to use your LTC, DPS actually researches your records since they also have finger prints to help,ID you.

Deal. Thank you for asking nicely. Donofwherever didn't do that.

If we may NOW RETURN to the Thread Discussion...

Contacting your State Representative, State Senator, Lt. Governor, Governor and getting your Friends (assuming any) to DO THE SAME - we will ALL be in a much happier place if we can get some much needed "Firearms Freedom" passed in this Legislative Session!

Keep up the Pressure - A Thousand Bitches will whine when things go badly - but only a few good men step up to prevent that for the others.

Step Up, Speak Out, Sign Up (if possible for the hearings) and in General THIS is the TIME to DO SOMETHING Actively to Expand & Protect your Texas Gun Rights...

BIGGER_HAMMER

If anyone is in the districts of state Senators Nichols and Seliger contact them to support Constitutional Carry. They did not support CC last session. Remind them elections have consequences and quite a few house members lost seats because them did not support Constitutional Carry.

Also if you are in Senator Huffman’s district contact her, she has always been a NO vote for any gun rights. This pretty much sucks for a Republican in Texas. If any of you are in her district contact Texas GOA if you know a good candidate to primary her.

From the TSRA today.

Several of the bills I am writing about today are the Senate versions of excellent bills. We need to support both the House versions and the Senate versions--you never know which will pass but we surely want one of them too!

I will list out the House bills being heard Thursday after the Thursday Senate bills. (Sorry, this email is a little long-bear with me!)

The first three bills in this list are the Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's "Priority Bills" and we are grateful.

SB 18 by Senator Creighton is the Senate version of a bill that just today was voted out of its House Committee. This bill forbids any Texas Governor from restricting our Second Amendment rights during a disaster or state of emergency. Please remember this is not about the current Governor but rather future Governor's who may or may not be "friendly" to us in the future.

SB 19 by Senator Schwertner would forbid governmental contracts with companies who discriminate about the firearms industries. The idea is not to use tax dollars to support businesses who are anti-2A.

SB 20 by Senator Campbell is the bill which protects LTC holders and non-LTC holders from being told they cannot possess a handgun or ammunition in hotel rooms, in their vehicles on hotel property, or transport it to and from their rooms. In addition to limiting the ability of a hotel to create such a policy, it creates defenses to prosecution for criminal trespass based upon possession of a handgun or ammunition.



SB 550 by Senator Springer removes the specific type of holster requirement to cover all holsters for the open carrying of a handgun by LTC's. Currently, the law requires either a shoulder or a belt holster. for Open Carry. This bill would expand to all types of holsters for LTC's.

SB 1253 by Senator Hall re-affirms that Texas is not to do away with the LTC program even if Permitless Carry passes. (Remember none of the Permitless Carry bills would do away with the LTC program.) This bill cements the LTC program regardless of whether Permitless passes or not.


We SUPPORT all of these Senate bills! Please contact your Senators and make sure they do too!

In the House:

House Bill 118 by Representative Ortega is a bill that with precious few exceptions, requires Universal Background checks. In this bill, one can't even sell a legal firearm to certain family members. It calls for a non-specified fee as payment as well. This bill will do nothing to curb crime and would need a gun registry to enforce.
We OPPOSE this bill!

HB 791 by Representative Goodwin changes the disorderly conduct statute so that if one is legally open carrying within 500 feet of a public demonstration of ONE or more people, one can now be charged with a crime. By way of an example, if ONE or more people are demonstrating at the Capitol and decide to march down Congress Avenue, you now have a roving gun-free zone and even the police may not know how to interpret this. It is vague and, at best, misguided. It is ALREADY illegal to display a firearm in a way that intends harm. We OPPOSE this bill!


HB 880 by Representative Hinojosa creates a new state crime for knowingly making false or misleading statements on your NICS background check (which is already a federal crime) but goes one step even further by requiring an FFL to notify DPS when the NICS background check indicates a transaction may not take place. DPS is then required to investigate and refer where they see fit to local law enforcement. MAJOR problem--the NICS system can incorrectly flag a person even by mistake and this will cause all manner of problems for a person who is not actually prohibited at all. We OPPOSE this bill!

On the upside:

HB 2112 by Representative Metcalf and HB 3628 by Representative Schaeffer eliminates the requirement for a shoulder or belt holster for LTC's who choose to openly carry. LTC's can now choose a holster that they prefer should either of these bills pass into law! We SUPPORT these bills!

HB 2169 by Representative Sanford would remove the requirement that one be up to date on all their taxes in or to apply for or renew their LTC. We've lived through one pandemic and one Ice-pocalypse--the price to defend oneself shouldn't depend on whether or not one is late on their taxes. We SUPPORT these bills!

Please contact your Representatives and the committee of House Homeland Security and Public Safety to let them know how you feel about these bills!!

Hit reply if you want to get involved and need help.

Thank you!!!!!!

The House version of SB 20 has already passed out of Homeland Security committee and includes all firearms not just handguns. Hopefully we get SB20 amended tomorrow to include all guns.

Nichols is my Senator. I'll call him again tomorrow.

Call the senators on the State Affaires committee to pass SB 513. This is the 2A sanctuary  bill.  AZ governor just signed 2A sanctuary in AZ.

Many of us testifying today have asked that SB 513 become an emergency bill due to what Pedo Joe stated today on the 2A

The committee was very responsive to the all the 2A bills except SB 825

Just got off the phone with one of Senator Nichols people. Guy was about as interested in my simple polite request to support CC as a democrat could possibly be. I was saddened by the man's attitude. Not being negative but the guy just wanted me off the phone.

I've found that, regardless of party, it's a wakeup call to tell them that if they don't support something that you (and your neighbors) will actively campaign for their primary opponent.  It's one thing for a Dem politician (and their staff) to blow off what they think is a Republican voter, but it's another for them to realize that they're dealing with a Dem voter.  Also, after the past year or so of record gun sales, there are more democrat voting gun owners than ever before.  I think there's going to be a political paradigm shift on gun control.  Driving the message in to these politicians heads can start with us, and the sheer numbers of democrat gun owners will drive it home.

This also illustrates perfectly why it's sometimes more important to vote in the Dem primary than the GOP primary, regardless of your party.

From an Open Carry Texas post, this isn't helping but is expected.

Attached File

It might have made a difference 10 years ago, but now with 20 states having Constitutional Carry and no problems seen it is pretty much mute.

All it is is LTC instructors getting their ox gored. When the class was eliminated for renewals they cried too.

Might be worth calling the Speaker’s office Monday morning about the use of the press room.

A follow-up on this post.

Rachel Malone

A few of y'all have noticed the press release going around about 54 LTC instructors who are teaming up with a Bloomberg-funded gun control group to oppose Constitutional Carry.
First, I want to point out that this is less than 3% of the LTC instructors who have their information published on DPS (and who knows how many don't publish their information). And it doesn't represent the thousands of firearms instructors who teach non-LTC classes. So it's a tiny contingent of instructors.
Second, this is your friendly reminder to check out your firearm instructor's views on gun rights BEFORE signing up to take a class. The vast majority support your rights. But I'd hate for you to give your hard-earned money to someone who is actively fighting against what you believe.
I personally know many LTC instructors who don't believe you should have to take their class and apply for that license in order to avoid being thrown in jail for carrying a handgun. They recognize that they might lose business if Constitutional Carry passes but they know that all of our liberties are more important than their bottom line.
(Also, instructors from other states have reported INCREASED class loads after the training requirement went away, so we don't think their business will dry up.)
This is a great discussion to have right now with whoever taught your LTC class and any of your other classes. Be sure you train with someone who isn't going to turn on you when it comes to advancing your liberties.
Instead, ask your LTC instructor (or other firearms instructors) to call the House Calendars committee, identify themselves as an instructor, and encourage the committee members to vote to move  Constitutional Carry legislation to the floor so legal gun owners can carry handguns without having to get a permit.
Chair: Dustin Burrows R 512-463-0542
[email protected]
Vice Chair: Joe Moody D 512-463-0728
[email protected]
Rep. Tom Craddick R 512-463-0500
[email protected]
Rep. Cody Harris R 512-463-0730
[email protected]
Rep. Cole Hefner R 512-463-0271
[email protected]
Rep. Ana Hernandez D 512-463-0614
[email protected]
Rep. Ben Leman R 512-463-0600
[email protected]
Rep. Jared Patterson R 512-463-0694
[email protected]
Rep. Toni Rose D 512-463-0664
[email protected]
Rep. Shelby Slawson R 512-463-0628
[email protected]
Rep. James Talarico D 512-463-0670
[email protected]

In other news, Sailmakers Local #401 has come out against steam power.

"While we are in favor of responsible technology, we cannot support this dangerous trend of putting high-pressure tanks, powered by a coal fire, inside wooden ships.  The risks to the public are just too high".

Even with Constitutional Carry so in those emergency situations can carry for protection, should still take an online LTC class, so you do know the laws. As far as the shooting portion I can think of many classes that are better suited for actual shooting training compared to the LTC shooting test.

Most of us have little problem passing either the written or shooting tests for an LTC. Only advantage a LTC gives most of us is if we forget to renew till the last minute, we can still carry for our protection.

The people answering the phone when you call your Rep are interns and new hires.  They either set you up with someone else, or just scribe for / against a bill on a yellow pad.

Far more effective to contract you elected officials 2nd Amendment staffer.  For Sen. Nichols, that person is Cooper Little.

[email protected]

Drop him a line and say you want to discuss Constitutional Carry, and that's it's the difference for you between supporting him next election, or working to unseat him in the primary.  He's up for re-election in 2022.  He won in 2018 with 78% of the vote, so there's no reason for him to be anything except 100% pro-gun - his district isn't going communist anytime soon.  

For others, the link below is a spreadsheet with information on all elected officials, and who their 2nd Amendment staffer is.  Holler at them about gun rights - it'll do more than just calling the office and talking to the intern on phone duty.  

Texas Legislature Contact Information Sheet

We also travel out of the five-state area into places that do not have CC.  As long as there is reciprocity for a Texas LTC, I will more than likely keep mine.

Not only reciprocity, but also to bypass NICS, nice to go in the Capitol without the norm search. Plus it does get you out of tickets, a LTC and being friendly goes a long way to getting just a warning. Being $40 for 5 years makes it real easy to renew.

Love it, plus all of us here that joined GOA. It is proof if you do something to move tha ball forward you will get rewarded.