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My biggest concern about renewal classes is not being able to cover use of force/deadly force in the same depth I can in the initial 10 hr. class. There just isn't enough time in a 4 hr. class, especially if you have a good number of people and spend a good bit of time on the range. I try to encourage people to come to a free Texas Self-Defense & Deadly Force Seminar to get the rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say but only a small percentage do.

I think the course should be reduced to use of force/deadly force and the off-limits areas. The non-violent dispute resolution material is actually pretty good; much better than we originally thought when CHL first passed and we laughed at the idea. Nevertheless, we should spend the students' time on the meat and potatoes of the issue; i.e. where you can and can't carry and when you can use force/deadly force.

I know I'm in the minority here, but the range portion of the class is virtually worthless and should be deleted. I've had very few people fail it on the first attempt and every one of them passed easily on the re-shoot. It is far more show than substance, however we might lose reciprocity with some states that require a shooting segment in the training.

Chas.

P.S.: The few people that had to re-shoot were all women and every time the problem was the wrong gun for the person. The men in their lives thought ladies need small guns and didn't consider the recoil. We gave them bigger guns to use and they passed easily.

When that change passed in 2007, DPS initially stated they were going to notify CHLs in the renewal letter that a renewal class was optional. The decision was made later not to do that. I suspect it is because the training division hates that provision! It allows CHLs to go 10 years without a class, which translates to 5 legislative sessions in which substantial changes in the law can be passed. The training division is very protective and supportive of CHLs constantly referring to them as "our people" or "our CHLs." (Note, I said the "training division.") I truly believe they feel this change poses a risk to CHLs.

Chas.