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@jmra -- From 1836 to 1995 ... Fantastic, it only took 159 years to gain our Concealed Handgun License rights using the incremental approach. /sarcasm off

I know politicians don't stick their neck out for anybody, and things being the way they are, our gun rights here have probably peaked. I'm not ungrateful, quite the opposite. But with twenty years of data with us, when all the grabbers told us the streets will flow with blood because of all the road rage shootings, (that didn't happen) it should be a no brainer that 3218 would pass overwhelmingly. I've called, emailed, written all my reps, they all say they support CHL's and the 2A, I'm sure you guys have too, time to face reality, we're stuck.

No offense taken. I can't point to a link or anything, however my story was loosely based on what happened to a friend personally known to me. He was doing nothing illegal and was taken into custody for an alleged display violation . Lucky for him, he is married to an attorney who is also a CHL holder. I am good friends with an LEO who says he disarms anybody with a weapon, including all CHL holders. I've had many arguments with him about it, but he and most of his partners are adamant, their personal safety is tops. He's a Big Govt. guy that thinks he's a conservative. I've been pulled over by a trooper who was professional and knew I was armed. When I handed him my DL and CHL, he asked, and I told him the truth. He went to his car, did whatever he needed and when he returned, I signed the paper and he left. The kicker? My friend the LEO was with me during that stop. He was shocked, and amazed the trooper didn't disarm me. The subject of this thread is the Gun Bills up for debate this Saturday, while I respect and admire Mr. Cotton and thank him for this forum, in my opinion, this session is not a good one for the expansion of our gun rights. The incremental approach isn't working. We need a bold, but polite strategy for our cause. Mr. Cotton says he's waited 8 years to introduce HB3218 and it's probably dead this session, but maybe in two years ... If Texas turns sky blue do you think the democrats will wait 8 or 10 years to eliminate some of our gun rights?

I agree with another poster, this session has not seen any major extension of gun rights here in Texas. I have my renewal class this Saturday so I won't be able to watch much of the debate anyway. Oh there might be some extension on the edges, SB299 is a good bill, but changing the word from "accidental" to "intentional" is a baby step. Everybody with common sense knows what an accidental exposure is. Even if this bill were to become law, you know the old saying - "You may beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride." A soccer mom calls 911 because she sees a male citizen wearing a gun in a holster when he bends over to tie his shoe in the local Wal-Mart. The Police show up with their Glocks at low ready and ask said citizen if he's armed. Yes, he says, and I have a CHL. They disarm him (for their personal safety, they felt threatened!) and take him downtown for an intentional exposure charge. After about 12 hours, they tell the citizen is was a misunderstanding, and he's free to go. The weapon has to stay here for 30 days. Still think SB299 is a big advance?