TexasCHLforum.com

I'm going to avoid the philosophical discussion and be completely practical and pragmatic.

If we find ourselves stuck with the bill, some ways the TX CHL requirement bill could be improved by amendment:
-A grace period for new residents (90 days?) to take a Texas CHL course and their out-of-state permit is good past the 90 day mark provided they have a copy of the CHL-100. This way, even if DPS takes forever to issue a permit, they are good in the mean time. Use the issue date of the Texas DL as the start of the 90 day period.
-Military personnel can carry on an out-of-state permit with a military ID (they don't get revenue from active military anyway).
-Out-of-state permits are good with proof of part-time residency in the other state (utility bill, ID card, etc)
-Out-of-state permits are good if your Texas CHL is lost or stolen, and good if your TX permit lapses due to processing time.
-Allow people to carry on non-resident permits if they buy a tax stamp from a local retailer (a lot of people carry on out-of-state permits because they don't want to be on 'the list', but they'd buy something anonymously if they could to be able to carry) This would shut the revenue argument up.
-Allow the above, but the person has to present a CHL-100 to the retailer who sells the tax stamp (only offer this if after alleviating the revenue argument, they whine about training).

Other things that can be offered in lieu of a TX resident TX CHL requirement to appease the legislature (some of these could go good along with the requirement if they pass it):
-Open up more places to licensed carry, but only allow residents to carry in the new places if they get a Texas CHL (and allow non-residents to carry in those places too, to prevent reciprocity problems).
-Create other "exclusive" benefits to Texas CHL holders like a magazine, members only web site, police firearms training and discounts on other state fees like admission to parks, etc. Make it so that somebody would have to be financially stupid to not get the TX CHL.
-Offer a discount on the CHL fees if the person has a CHL from another state
-Offer a shorter class to people with a CHL from another state along with the reduced fee, or only make them take a renewal class.
-Only allow residents to carry on another state's permit if the state meets certain training requirements