Indiana has an option where you can buy a concealed handgun license that’s good for life. Apparently Oklahoma is considering one as well.
I’m torn on the idea, but the more I think about it the more I like it.
The main thing about any license is that it’s administrative crud to have to deal with; it’s mostly fees and paperwork. Of course, to renew you have to take a class, which over time adds up to a lot of money plus a lot of time spent. How truly necessary is it?
The main advantage to renewals for the license holder is you get to learn about what laws changed since the last time you were in class. This can be a good thing. But we don’t always force people to have to take classes to learn about what laws changed in other aspects of our lives. Is it needed here? To renew your drivers license it’s just forms and fees. Couldn’t we have a lifetime drivers license there too? I could see many people happy about never having to visit the DMV again. 🙂  We’re supposed to be responsible adults, we’re supposed to seek out this information on our own. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and all that. Heck, being in this modern era why couldn’t TX DPS (or whatever entity that oversees the licenses) send an email to all CHL holders when a new law booklet is published?
There are perhaps some subtle issues on the pro and con sides of this issue that I haven’t yet considered. But upon a cursory examination, I could see this being a good thing.
Stuff From Hsoi 
My Arizona Driver License was valid until 2037. I hated to give it up for my OK DL which, you remind me, I need to renew already.
The OK Carry Concealed license can be registered for 5 or 10 years at a time. Ten years is a good long time.
If you guys get lifetime, go for it.
I’ve often thought it might be useful if to renew the drivers license you had to take tests again: written tests, beind-the-wheel tests. Yeah, everyone would bitch about the pain and hassle. I’ve wondered if it would do anything to make the roads better and safer. But somehow I doubt it… those that have no desire to be educated and improve themselves never will so mandating the education and testing doesn’t amount to much. So we’re just back to paperwork and fees.
In the end, it’s mostly about keeping a revenue stream going.
How about requiring renewal of any license if the person holding that license shows there is a problem?
3 or 4 tickets in a short time — have to renew.
Misdemeanor ticket or issue with your firearm — have to renew.
Those would be required; optional to take the class any time.
The issue I see goes back what business does the state have being in the license business to begin with.
Want to make sure everyone knows how to drive — make it a $5,000 fine for flagrant violations the law that results in danger to property or injury to a person.
Punish the consequences misbehavior instead of trying to insure that everyone meets an arbitrary level of training before hand. The fact that so many people drive unlicensed shows the current approach isn’t effective.