By Bluegrass Bruce
Kentucky – -(Ammoland.com)- The Texas state legislature voted 139-0 to reduce the penalty for licensed gun owners who accidentally bring their guns to the airport.
Bringing a gun to the airport under any circumstances is a 3rd degree felony in Texas, a penalty that one legislator called a “massive inconvenience.”
Under the new law, CHL holders who are stopped by security will be allowed to put their guns in their vehicles or check it with their luggage.
“One of the big arguments is, ‘What if someone is trying to use it to gauge our security? TSA will record it. If you try it multiple times during the day, you will be targeted,” said Rep. Drew Springer.
Texas made it a felony to have guns at airports during the 1990s, when the state first started issuing concealed carry licenses.
The law generated national headlines when State Rep. Drew Darby was charged with a felony after trying to take a .38 caliber Ruger pistol through security at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2013.
Darby told security that he forgot the handgun was in his bag.
The number of guns confiscated at airports in the United States has reportedly quadrupled in the past decade, from 660 in 2005 to 2,212 this year.
About Bluegrass Bruce
Bluegrass Bruce is a hunter, political blogger, and UK basketball fan from Kentucky. His opinions on gun rights and politics are posted on “Bluegrass Bruce” and shared on websites and blogs across the United States. Visit: www.bluegrassbruce.blogspot.com
It is not “Bringing a gun to the airport” that is a felony. It is carrying it into the secured portion of the airport that is the security violation. Since the gun is not passed through the checkpoint it never should have been a crime in the first place. This law change is the “common sense” that will keep law abiding citizens from becoming accidental felons. If we had a truly Constitutionally abiding government it would be legal for law abiding citizens to carry their self defense weapons anywhere in the nation on land, sea or air. Isn’t it criminals… Read more »
A change that is sorely needed across the nation. A concealed carry licensee has already been entrusted by his or her locality ( my feelings on constitutionality of licensing notwithstanding) as a law abiding citizen, and as such should not be treated as a felon on occasions when an honest mistake was made. Humans err, oftentimes with no ill intent. A person who uses a bag for the range and for travel who didn’t catch the wayward ammo, or the harried traveler who forgot to stash the concealed pistol on his/her belt/bag should not suddenly become a felon for forgetting.… Read more »