Driving safety is a top priority and is on the tongues of every lawmaker, lobbyist, and company owner nationwide, but driver safety is something that is talked about significantly less. Especially with the shortage of safe places to park, and with the increase of thefts and hijackings that take place around the holidays, drivers need to be able to keep themselves safe. Some companies prohibit their drivers from having weapons in the vehicle, but most drivers are allowed to carry handguns provided that they have the proper licensing for it.
Now a representative in Texas is trying to make it easier for certain drivers, including truckers, to combine their driver’s licenses with licenses for concealed handguns. Whenever a routine traffic stop occurs, drivers know that they will need to show their driver’s licenses for ID, but what some don’t know is that in Texas, they are also required show officers their concealed handgun license (CHL). The ability to combine these two licenses would make it so drivers who don’t know about the rules (which can change from state to state) won’t have to worry about accidently running afoul of the law.
A similar bill was proposed last year, but since it was being paired with a ban against texting while driving it was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry who said that the bill was “a government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults.” He instead called for more education and announcements.
Next Story: Thanksgiving Safety Enforcement Push Still Going On
Source: landline
Image Source: legallyarmed
Problem though, when driving outside of Texas, any presentation of CDL with a weapons permit on it will open the door for more random searches of commercial vehicles with the probable cause being the carry permit. Why open yourself to more scrutiny. I would much rather have CDL and carry permit separate. But some will do this, and probably later regret it.
It needs to be made so that a person can carry everywhere in the USA. This state to state thing is wrong and is completely against my 2a rights. Then there are the inspirations that border some days on unlawful search and seizure and disregard the freedom to move unrestricted from place to place.
True!
Universal concealed carry licensing across all states would be optimal, but we all know it won’t happen. Also this article is misleading, only if you are carrying a weapon on your person do you have to present your CFL to a LEO during a routine stop.
While I applaud Texas for making an effort, I have to agree with Cliff. I do a lot of driving in places like California and Illinois. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what handing a CDL with the words “concealed handgun license” on it to a CHP officer would result in, especially during an inspection. The sad fact is, due to the very specific wording of the 2nd amendment, that whether or not I have a handgun, or any other firearm, in my truck or not is none of their business. In reality, no local, state or even federal agency has authority to even question me about it. Why we allow this kind of thing to go on is beyond me. Unless they have real probable cause to search, or ask, regarding some other matter, they should never even know if I have a gun or not.
Forget not the implications of crossing a National border. Canadians ask if a weapon exists, do you own one. A person often needs to present a DL at a port also. What will the response be?
Firearm carrying has its own responsibilities, having a License with this declaration on it will most likely give ‘Officials’ the opportunity to check one’s compliance with those responsibilities.
One can bet on the firearm being taken if one is out of any compliance. Should this become a more widely held State program amoungst other states, expect more regulation…which equals confusion, for everybody. Doubtful is the possibility most carriers will approve carry of firearm on company equipment, just because of a Licence format change.
Did everyone miss the part where Rick Perry thinks laws against texting-while-driving equate to micromanaging adult behavior? Seems like in Texas, you’re more likely to be the victim of an iPhone than a handgun.
Time for Rick to secede from the planet.
That’s where you’re wrong. A leagal activity cannot be used as “probable cause”. You’re statement is silly, like saying that your cdl being marked for glasses provides probable cause to search your sleeper.
There is no law against firearms. Concealed weapons is a whole different can of worms though and I’m on the fence with firearms in general because of the whole idea of I have a weapon and I will defend myself by killing a poor 16 year old who’s only crime is to freak out because he happens to be followed by a wannabe cop neighborhood watch guy.
While I agree with the right to bear arms, there is a difference in using them responsibly and using them in a means that is detrimental to responsible human beings like myself. And again I’m on the fence here… The right to bear arms does not give license to have a conceal permit. And while nearly all states recognize permits for firearms from other states, many will not recognize a conceal carry permit and I wholeheartedly agree with it.
Show this license in the state of Illinois and I know you will regret it. That state is a Police state like you wouldn’t believe. Soon as the officer looks at it; you will become an Enemy of the State! Without hesitation he will pull you out the Vehicle place you under arrest while tell you its for his safety and yours. This is how they are trained.
Then he will begin a full vehicle and cavity search of you and the Vehicle in Question. That state is worse then California county for county. At least in California in the Rural areas they issue the permits to people and aren’t so jumpy. Illinois has no such law at all; even in rural areas; and the police will respond accordingly.
The citizens in Illinois are 1000% yes 1000% disarmed. I have watched YouTube videos of them going into homes and confiscating guns. Oh you don’t have a FOID card? No Sir my Grandfather died and left the guns to me. Well were going to have to confiscate that since you don’t have a FOID Card. This is how bad it is in that State my friends. You can’t Own a firearm if you don’t get it approved through the State. Nobody has or will do anything to stop this Rogue state from doing as they please with the citizens of that state.
I think it’d be easier if we just installed a small microchip inside everybodys head that could be easily tracked and contained all their personal information so we didn’t have to worry about all these different cards.
Illinois has an interesting legacy with the highest murder rate and bad
leaders. Suffice it to say, we know that the gangsters mafias are in charge there.
The officials have disarmed the people to make it
easier to bulldoze people’s rights. The only people that have guns are cops and thieves.
Let this be a lesson to the young kids. Become a cop or a criminal so you can legally carry a gun.
To my knowledge by what i read in the dot and fmcsa rules it is illegal to carry a loaded firearm in any commercial vehicle the one way it might be allowed is in a locked compartment (not the glove box) with the ammunittion in a seperate compartment and that it depends on the state you pass thru or are in. when i renewed my concealed carry permit in the state of north carolina i was told by law enforcement that it was illegal to carry a firearm in any commercial vehicle. Now reading this from truckers report makes me confused, can we or can’t carry our protection with us on the road and does it depend on the states that accept our CCP…
Displaying a CHL isn’t probable cause , but reasonable doubt for a further inquiry . Make a CHL just like a CDL , complete with Dr.’s exam ( head ) & periodic qualification . that has to be renewed every so-often . Gun laws should be federal for those crossing state lines , with common requirements / limitations . “It just doesn’t seem that common sense is all that common anymore .”
I don’t really care what each state thinks. My Motto is I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. In my 33 yrs of driving I don’t recall one time that I have had a problem with law enforcement. If you look and act like a professional they will treat you like one.
George, I have to strenuously agree… in 20 years of driving, I have been asked only 5 times if I had a firearm. In all 5 cases, I was honest, told them officer the location of the loaded weapon, with the exception of 1 time in Illinois, in which the weapon was unloaded and locked in a safe. In the case of Illinois and 2 of the other times, I was asked to exit the vehicle, while the officer entered and, in the cases where the weapon was loaded cleared the weapon, they all ran the serial number, and once it came back clean, the weapon was left in the vehicle. In all cases I was thanked for my honesty, and allowed to proceed on with my trip, with my firearm.
I think it is clearly a matter of how you carry yourself.
P.S. I run 48 states, and my Carry Permit from TN was only reciprocated in 1 of the states in which I was questioned.
You are wrong their is NO LAW OR RULE that prohibites the carrying of a firearm in a CMV. If you have read anything else please post the rule in full. I have never seen or read any different. I live in MO and we have open carry laws and I carry openly ALL the time in my CMV. You are under the old thinking that there is some ruling which by the way there has never been. All the laws I have seen have never made a difference from a CMV and and other vehicle. If it is legal to carry in a vehicle, it is legal in a CMV.
Good point. What if it were made optional?
Izzy you are wrong. No Federal law exisits to prohibit a gun in a commercial vehicle.
In some states it is required that you present the CCW, CHL or whatever it’s called, whenever you are stopped by law enforcement. carrying or not.
What they also DON’T say, is that not every state is reciprocal to another states CWP. My permit is recognized in states surrounding my state, but if I got pulled over in Georgia, they do not recognize the legitimacy of my permit. Hence, they could confiscate my weapon, and arrest or fine me. I’m with Cliff Downing. Give me separate cards. I believe in the don’t ask, don’t tell policy!