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Cops will still ask the question for their own safety. Whatever response they get will at least serve as one more data point to judge whether they are dealing with a good guy or a (possibly armed) scumbag.

And from the cop's point of view, that is very important life-and-death information.

As long as the law is honored and administered fairly, I have no problems with it. It is a big improvement over what we had before.

Just remember, it doesn't take effect until 9/1/2007.

seamusTX wrote:

frankie_the_yankee wrote:...harassing law-abiding gun owners just got a lot tougher.

I agree.

Now, has arresting actual criminals also become more difficult?

- Jim

Maybe, but I doubt it. LEO's will probably need to re-examine their procedures when making a traffic stop. But I do not see any major changes coming.

The effect of this law is to let good guys carry guns in their cars whether they have CHL's or not.

But as we know, good guys pose no danger to LEO's. It's only the bad guys who do. And though they can't legally carry now, some do. And so they will continue to do with or without this bill.

So I don't see a big difference in what street cops need to safely deal with. It's not guns that are the problem. It's bad guys with guns. And they will have them whether the law allows it or not.

Also, if someone is a bad guy, they most likely have a record. This makes them a prohibited person. So if caught, they are subject to arrest under the new bill just as before.

Likewise drunks, people possessing small (or large) amounts of dope, etc. They all remain fully "arrestable" and "convictable".

I think you pretty much covered it.

"As carrying in a vehicle is an exception, rather than a defense to prosecution, (emphasis added) the police will not be able to arrest people for carrying in their cars unless the handgun is in plain view or the person is engaged in criminal activity other than a traffic violation. "

This is the key change. Those rogue DA's in Harris and Tarrant counties will have to find some other way to get their jollies, because harassing law-abiding gun owners just got a lot tougher.