In the January 2010 KR Training newsletter, Karl writes about Texas residents obtaining Utah concealed handgun permits. It’s such a good post that the message deserves to be spread.
I’ve had several conversations this month with students that were considering, or have gotten, Utah carry permits as a way to carry in Texas without “going through the hassle” of getting a Texas permit. The Utah class is shorter in length and the fees are cheaper. Reasons getting a Utah permit is a bad idea:
1) You will be arrested by Texas cops and tried in Texas courts when you violate Texas gun laws. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Going to court is a far bigger “hassle” than sitting through a Texas CHL class.
2) The cop that pulls you over may not be familiar with the “loophole” in Texas law that allows residents to carry on non-resident licenses…so you may end up getting hassled on the side of the road.
3) Your money and your data go to another state. If everyone in Texas got Utah permits, it would appear that no one in Texas carries. That would significantly weaken the power of our lobby with the Legislature. Sending your CHL money to Utah helps Utah, not Texas.
I have a fundamental problem with people that think that training to be well prepared for a life-or-death situation, including learning the details of relevant state laws, is “a waste of time”.
I’ve also been told by some potential students that they want a Utah permit so that they “won’t have to tell cops I’m carrying when I’m pulled over”. This requirement was removed from Texas law during the last legislative session, and even when it was required, it was not a significant problem for permit holders. The success of the Texas CHL program is due, in part, to the support Texas CHL holders have received from law enforcement agencies in Texas, and DPS specifically. Our Texas CHL system works, and we have been able to adjust it to make it better for permit holders since its inception. “Cheating the system” by opting for a Utah permit is the wrong thing to do, and I encourage those that have Utah permits (and not Texas permits) or those considering this option to do the right thing for your own education and for gun rights in Texas by getting the Texas CHL.
Also, carrying on a Utah permit in Texas DOES NOT exempt you from the Safe Schools Act. (10000000miles of a school) the exception is if you have a permit to carry from the state in which the school is located!
Little loophole not many people know about or care to study.
He has some good points. One of the reasons people from some states get Utah permits is because Utah has high reciprocity among most states; in some cases it has higher reciprocity than their home state, so they like the Utah one for traveling. They should be careful to learn local laws for the area they are traveling in, however.