TexasCHLforum.com

First I completely agree with my friends in Law Enforcement that they need room to work without Kory Watkins types causing them problems. Second this bill in it's current form is most definitely not the way to do it. Third I see a number of issues with this bill that make it a total nightmare.

I have been encountered officers I do not know, or have been suspicious of, in the past and I have been on the phone with 911(verifying the officer in the unmarked car and no uniform is legit) when the officer approaches. Because of this I had the phone on speaker so the unknown officer could hear who I was talking to, everyone knows 911 records so I would have been in violation of this bill had it been law then.

I have been known to do some off-roading in my Jeep, and I have had GoPro Cameras mounted on it. They were recording when I was passed by a game warden and a sheriff's deputy between two areas at the event I was participating in. The cameras were still recording when I passed them when they were assisting another sheriff's deputy who had someone pulled over about 3/4 of a mile down the road. Both those instances would have been violations had this beel been law then.

My employer has a number of external security cameras that I am in charge of while at work, part of my job involves dealing with officers in relation to those cameras AND other issues my employer may need law enforcement for. Would I be in violation of this bill if it becomes law every time I have an officer walk within the specified distance while they are on duty?

Consider an Ex-Girlfriend of mine who is a realtor. She videos new property often setting off neighbours who call law enforcement or catch the attention of passing LEOs who check her out to make sure she wasn't casing the property.

All of these are potential violations of this bill, yet not one instance of cop watching is going on in any of them.

To make the bill manageable to the point I would not 100% oppose it this bill would need:
1. Provision to allow any party detained, or unable to leave the area, to record.
2. Replace the 25 foot provision with a provision that would allow an officer to require all parties to move back no more than 25 feet if the officer feels it is necessary for the safety of the officer, the party recording, or a third party (This keeps an officer from becoming a camera free zone while on duty).
3. Replace the CHL 100 foot provision with a provision that would allow the officer to disarm parties armed with modern, antique, or black powder replica firearms or require they move back no more than 100 feet if the officer feels it is necessary for the safety of the officer, the party recording, or a third party (This keeps an officer from becoming a camera free zone while on duty).
4. Provision to allow a party that is recording to continue recording should officers approach within the specified distances.
5. Exception for automatic, unmanned, or unattended recording devices.
6. Provision for vehicle mounted (temporary or permanent) recording systems that come within the specified distances.

ralewis wrote:

G.A. Heath wrote:This is in response to Kory Watkins and the OC marches, but it looks like it it aimed more at Watkins and his cop watch/block crowd. The issues I have is that they do not provide an exception for someone being stopped by law enforcement, they specifically add a penalty for possessing a firearm while recording, and no exception for a license holder who gets stopped while recording either.

I don't agree. It doesn't say carrying a gun, it says specifically licensed to carry a handgun under the authority of .....

I am working on something else and forgot to translate this from my note format into forumese. This is aimed at Watkins, and the cop-watch/block bunch. The bill targets CHLs but there should be an exception when a CHL is stopped by peace officers and there should be an exception for CHLs who are stopped while recording something else.

This is in response to Kory Watkins and the OC marches, but it looks like it it aimed more at Watkins and his cop watch/block crowd. The issues I have is that they do not provide an exception for someone being stopped by law enforcement, they specifically add a penalty for possessing a firearm while recording, and no exception for a license holder who gets stopped while recording either.