24

Newcomers 2007

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Owners of concealed firearms must

acquire license to carry it in Texas

assing CHL laws has never been

From staff reports

easy

.

To qualify for a Texas concealed hand-

In most ways, Texas was typical. The

gun license:

push started with proposed laws in 1985,

19P7 and 1989. (The Texas Legislature

Civilians must be a resident of Texas

8

or apply for a non-resident CHL.

meets only in odd-numbered years.)

Civilians must be at least 21 years

A 1991 attempt came closer to passing,

old.

but failed to gain enough support in the

Applicants must have a clean crim-

Legislature and was amended to death.

inal history including military service

,

In 1993, CHL was back again, and this

and recent juvenile records.

time the big state media let loose with the

typical "blood in the streets" predictions,

Applicants must not be under a pro-

tective order, be chemically dependent or

both in statements by anti-gun advocates

CEDAR CREST HOSPITAL AND CLINIC

be of an unsound mind and not be delin-

and echoed on the opinion pages.

They called for the people to contact

quent in paying fines, fees, child support

PSYCHIATRY & MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING

their legislators, which people did. The

or student loans.

Applicants must be eligible to pur-

popular support for the law caught the

Serving the mental health needs of children

chase a handgun by completing the NICS

media by surprise.

check.

The law went into effect Sept. 1,1995,

and families throughout Central Texas.

The state-mandated course includes

giving the Texas Department of Public

all applicable laws for use of force and

Safety about three months to write all

“Specializing in Kids...for a change.”

• 82-bed Inpatient Facility

deadly force covered on an exam, as well

the procedures, design the paperwork

as criminal trespass and obligations to

and train enough qualified instructors

• Licensed Therapeutic

254-939-2100 Hospital

retreat, conflict de-escalation and reso-

to teach the required course the DPS

School (K-12)

lution and firearm safety

.

wrote.

254-519-4162 Clinic

• Outpatient Clinic in

Background checks are completed

A loophole creating a conflict between

by the Federal Bureau of Investi-

concealed-carry rules and alcoholic bev-

Killeen

CEDAR

CREST

erage license regulations made a revi-

gation, Texas Department of Pub-

sion of the law necessary That was ac-

lic Safety and the Federal Bureau

WWW.CEDARCRESTHOSPITAL.COM

complished in 1997 and went into effect

of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

Explosives.

Sept. 1 of that year.

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