Harris County Applicants

[frazzled]

Good news FAAPOD.

[justaguy]

FINALLY!!!!! After 5 months, and emails to the Governor's Office, State Senator and State Representative, I log on today and see the "Application Complete - License Active" message.

YEAH. Now I just have to wait on the mail.

[FAAPOD]

Congrats justaguy. I had a little wishful thinking today that I would wait just a day for the snail mail to get from Austin to H-town. No joy. For sure tomorrow, Monday latest. Then it's the Wally Walk for me.

[ProjectS15]

congrats
hope ya enjoy your wally world walk once your plastic is in hand

[frazzled]

7/23/08 Completed CHL class and fingerprints (Harris County)
7/27/08 Return receipt of completed application
12/31/08 received notice further information requested
1/8/09 sent information
1/18/09 notice application complete on website-certificate issued (yes on a Sunday)
1/23/09 received card

Wallywalk planned for next weeked.

[Totally Frustrated]

7/23/08 Completed CHL class and fingerprints (Harris County)
7/27/08 Return receipt of completed application
12/31/08 received notice further information requested
1/8/09 sent information
1/18/09 notice application complete on website-certificate issued (yes on a Sunday)
1/23/09 received card

Wallywalk planned for next weeked.

I took the class the same day as you, but mailed mine application off three days later. I'm still processing Application.

[frazzled]

A compatriot of mine in Clearwater mailed his more than a month earlier and is still waiting.

[RanRan]

Im here to post a Harris County success story for a friend.


App mailed out early July.
Sent back for signature in Aug and received back late Aug.
September Ike letter.
Calls to Dps after the 60 days were answered with the ike excuse.
Emailed Sen John Whitmire Jan 14
Recieved call from Dps Jan 15 saying the app would be expedited and also a follow up email from whitmire's office
Jan 22 call from Dps saying Chl would be overnighted
Jan 23 plastic in hand


Here is the email that was sent to his office:

Hello Senator Whitmire,
My name is . I am having an issue in
regard to obtaining my Texas CHL that I believe
that you may be able to assist me with. Texas DPS
received my completed packet in August. After
waiting the 90 day period that is allotted for the
issuance for a CHL, I contacted the DPS office.
They informed me that they were still waiting on
the background check from Harris County so they
can issue the license. I have been getting the
same excuse for weeks with no exact answer as to
when I would receive my license. There is nothing
on my background that would prevent me from
getting my license, and I am not sure why it
should take so long to be sent back to the DPS
office. If possible, can you ask for this process
to be expedited or find out some more information
about the delay? All of my information is
provided below. Thanks in advance.

[KingOfDirk]

Allrighty, y'all, here's the latest.

Last week, a nice lady named Marion called my house. Mrs. KingOfDirk answered (as I was fervently checking DPS site...err..I mean, "working" at the time) and was told the folks in Austin had received a request from my State Rep (Garnet Coleman) to move things along for us. Marion told my wife they'd be pleased to ask the Harris County background folks to try to expedite things. She left an email and phone number. I was impressed.

Today, I got a call from my State Senator's office (Rodney Ellis). A person there told me I'd have to call the licensing division in Austin myself, but was at least kind enough to give me the number. I thanked her, hung up, and shook my head. How dumb do they (politicians, and their minions) think we are? I didn't point out to her that Rep. Coleman's staff managed to get DPS to call us, and therefore I know she either a) didn't really try very hard or b) isn't interested in helping, so is passing the buck.

Today's call from the Senator's office got me thinking about Marion's call last week, so I rang her up. What a charming, helpful lady. I said, "Hi, my name is (KingOfDirk) and I think you called my house last week." She said, "yes, I spoke with your wife." That, folks, is a heck of a memory.

The long and the short of it is this; Harris has an awful lot of people living in it, consequently has a lot of applications, got pimp-slapped (a technical term) by Ike, is part of a country now ruled...err.. I mean, governed by the new guy at 1600 Pennsylvania - and therefore had a spike in applications/renewals, justified or not - all at the same time. Marion told me the background check folks have gotten some more help here and in Galveston/Brazoria etc, and they are working overtime to try to clear the backlog. They know they're behind, aren't making excuses (anymore), and seem eager to get us processed. She even recited my cell phone back to me, and told me she'd call when she hears back from the field personnel.

There's a lesson here. As much as we may lose patience with this process, please remember there are humans, Texans , on the other end of that phone. Marion is an example of what's right with DPS. Don't blame them for their lack of funding or lack of resources - that's your State Rep/Senator's fault. I can read the statutes as well as the rest of the folks here on this board, and I know "sixty days" means sixty days, but the only way they can do the job the legislature commands them to do is if the legislature then gives them the tools they need to do it. They are in session now; take the opportunity to write/call/fax/annoy the men and women who represent you and ask them to, well, represent you. That's the only way the service we get from DPS will improve. All politics is local, as Tip O'Neill once said.

Now I remember why I voted for Kinky Friedman. Gov. Perry's office does nothing except mail us form letters dropping Colonel So-and-so's name and try to sell our state to foreign multinational corporations (read up on the Trans-Texas Corridor). Support Kay Bailey Hutchison for Governor in the primary. She's not perfect, but perhaps she won't take us for granted.

Hang in there, y'all,
KoD

[WEC]

I appreciate your post, KoD. It does help to take the sting out of having people from other counties who took the course after me, mailed off the packets after me, and received their licenses well before me. I am frustrated by how long it's taking but I do understand that people are working as hard as they can, so I don't get too riled up. I share the responsibility. I had been thinking of getting my CHL for over 7 years and just recently decided to go through with the process. So, much of the blame is on myself.

...Harris has an awful lot of people living in it, consequently has a lot of applications, got pimp-slapped (a technical term) by Ike...

This line made me cackle.

[cdc101]

Marion told me the background check folks have gotten some more help here and in Galveston/Brazoria etc, and they are working overtime to try to clear the backlog.

This is the news I thought was great! Thanks for posting your story.

Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please!

[kirock7]

Has anyone taken note of the time span for the Harris County BG check recently?
How long is it starting to take on average? Any educated guesses?

Ft. Bend County -
Applied Online: 11/11/08
Received DPS Packet: 11/17/08
CHL Class (passed): 11/23/08
Completed DPS Packet mailed: 11/24/08
"Processing Application": 12/13

[FTBL]

processed started in july 5 and a half months later finally approved! thats bull!

[bridge]

Has anyone taken note of the time span for the Harris County BG check recently?
How long is it starting to take on average? Any educated guesses?

Ft. Bend County -
Applied Online: 11/11/08
Received DPS Packet: 11/17/08
CHL Class (passed): 11/23/08
Completed DPS Packet mailed: 11/24/08
"Processing Application": 12/13

My BG checks had to come from both Galveston and Harris Counties...I just got the application approved notice this morning. It took 96 days. It seems alot of the October applicants have been getting notice that they have been approved in the last few days. So it looks they both counties are getting caught up.

[FAAPOD]

Plastice showed up yesterday!

Did the walk at one of the big box home improvement stores.