Concealed carry in vehicle now legal in Texas?

[texasmr2]

I sold a S&W 642 .38 to an HPD officer yesterday and in conversation he mentioned that if his memory is correct it's now legal since sometime in '07, to carry a loaded handgun in your vehicle as long as it is 'completely concealed'? Correct or incorrect?

Gregg

[PetrucciFan]

That is correct....since September 07. Although, you must able to legally possess a handgun, not be in the commission of a crime, and not be a member of a gang in order to carry in your vehicle.

[texasmr2]

That is correct....since September 07. Although, you must able to legally possess a handgun.

Well NICS is my friend so it's all good but my main issue was not being able to carry legally. If your gun's in your car and not on your person why even bother right?

[Jeremae]

It can be on your person while you are in a car you own or control.....

[texasmr2]

It can be on your person while you are in a car you own or control.....

Great new's although my comfort zone will be MUCH larger with my CHL, I'm really happy to learn this, God bless Texas right! You know I have alot of friend's oversea's especially in the UK and they usually say "You crazy American's" but usually it's just being jealous because their crime rate has skyrocketed and they cannot protect themselve's like we can.

Anyway thank's for clarifying the detail's for me,
Gregg

[Liko81]

It can be on your person while you are in a car you own or control.....

It can also be anywhere else in the car, and it can be on you while you are walking direcctly between your home and car.

[brainneeded]

i'm not positive, but i'm pretty harris county does not recognize the law change and will prosecute if you are not chl. but that's just hearsay i don't recollect where i got that bit from. but i'm sure there is another houstonian somewhere on the boards willing to chime in.

[seamusTX]

Here's the story on Harris County:

It has always been legal to carry a handgun while traveling. Traveling was never defined in the law, and case law is all over the place.

In 2005, the legislature added a clause that said you were presumed to be traveling if you were in a privately owned motor vehicle, the handgun was concealed, and some other qualifications that are irrelevant now.

The DA of Harris County, Chuck Rosenthal, was opposed to this legislation. After it became law, police in Harris County continued to arrest people who were caught with handguns in their vehicles. I don't know if any were prosecuted successfully or pled guilty. Several had charges dropped.

In 2007, the legislature made it completely legal to have a concealed handgun in your vehicle (as long as some other conditions were met), and scrapped the old traveling presumption. By the time that law went into effect, Mr. Rosenthal was rather busy with some personal problems, and he has since resigned.

I have heard nothing about how the new law is being handled in Harris Co.

- Jim

[brainneeded]

i knew it was something along the lines of that, i just wasn't quite as informed as you are. thank you sir for clearing that up.

[pedalman]

At least it is a step in the right direction for those who are waiting on their CHL. I drive 50 miles to work every day, from Comal County to Travis County.

I've seen some potential nuttiness on IH35 in my time. And it's only going to get worse, I'm afraid.

[brainneeded]

At least it is a step in the right direction for those who are waiting on their CHL. I drive 50 miles to work every day, from Comal County to Travis County.

I've seen some potential nuttiness on IH35 in my time. And it's only going to get worse, I'm afraid.

i for one am going to agree with this. austin traffic is ridiculous, even compared to houston. at least in houston we have construction and population to blame. in austin it's crazies and horrible drivers.

anyways i can certainly understand the frustration dealing with the traffic in that area, staying there for a week or two on break was enough to drive me crazy. hats off to you for being able to withstand travis county traffic.

[pedalman]

I've been making that trip for a while now. Nothing very serious has happened yet. IH35 is manageable. It's the Austin streets with all the panhandlers and nutjob drivers that concern me a little bit. I don't favor the idea of some clown walking up to my vehicle with a tire iron in his/her hand.

I think I owe it to my wife and kids to come home safe every day.

[stevie_d_64]

I am of the opinion that where Harris County goes, the other "big" counties will follow...That was apparent when Chuck went the way he did DFW, Austin, San Antonio, etc etc went the same way...It was kinda subtle, yet annoying at the same time back when this all boiled up after the 2005 session...2007 cleared it up, and even then you could sense some resistance...

The race to replace Chuck was interesting, and I was very open about my support for Kelly Siegler to replace him as Harris County DA...She is so solid on the Second Amendment and this particular issue it wasn't even funny...Now we have Pat Lycos who is in my opinion politicizing an job that should not be politicized...Sure you can run a political campaign for a DA job, but the job itself is not political, you are the top Law Enforcement officer in the county, not a politician...Its one of the few jobs that are like that in our society...

I do not get a warm and fuzzy about Pat Lycos...As for her Democrat Party opponent, former Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford...I'm not seeing fluffy puppies there either...

Just my opinion...

So I guess we'll have to see where this one goes...

[eric]

I have also heard that Tarrant county does not recognize this law. Does this law mean non chl holders have the same rights as a holder with immunity from civil suits in case an incident occurs?

[aardwolf]

I have also heard that Tarrant county does not recognize this law. Does this law mean non chl holders have the same rights as a holder with immunity from civil suits in case an incident occurs?

Has anyone ever been successfully sued for having a concealed handgun in their car in Fort Worth?