Tag Archives: handguns

Going younger at HPD

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure about this. Mayor John Whitmire wants to tap into a younger audience for police recruits, but doing so may require going to Austin and changing state law. During a news conference introducing new Police Chief Noe Diaz, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas drops appeal of ruling that forbade banning the sale of handguns to people under 21

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Least surprising headline of the week. And month, and year, and pretty much any other arbitrary timeline you choose. Texas will no longer fight to ban 18- to 20-year-olds from carrying handguns in public. A judge ruled earlier this year … Continue reading →

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Texas to appeal that ridiculous ruling that forbade banning handgun sales to those under 21

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Now we’ll see if their heart is in it. Texas is gearing up to fight a judge’s ruling that the state can’t ban adults under 21 from carrying handguns, a move that’s drawing anger from some gun rights groups. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Judge rules Texas cannot ban handgun sales to 18-to-20-year olds

Posted on August 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

WTAF? A federal court in Fort Worth on Thursday struck down a Texas prohibition that limited adults under 21 from carrying handguns. Texas law bars most 18- to 20-year-olds in the state from obtaining a license to carry a handgun … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lawsuit filed over gun sign law

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This is interesting. A church in Clear Lake and a coffeeshop in the Heights are challenging a Texas law that dictates how no-gun signs are displayed. Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church and Antidote Coffee allege the signs private properties need … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Don’t forget about school police

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe we can take another crack at breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. Several social justice organizations called Monday for Houston ISD to eliminate its police department and contract with local law enforcement agencies, whose officers would respond only to emergency situations … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No metal detectors at HISD schools

Posted on February 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. Houston ISD trustees shelved a request from administrators Thursday to authorize up to $3 million for metal detectors, arguing district officials need to provide more concrete recommendations and plans for school security before the board votes … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Worrying about the expanded school marshal program

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This just seems like such a bad idea. Would a teacher who volunteered to do double duty as a school marshal in Texas act any braver [than a professional law enforcement officer]? Some might. Maybe most would. Would those who … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s about the domestic violence

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You want to do something to reduce gun violence, here’s the place to start. Domestic violence cases have risen sharply across the state, with more than 210,000 wives, girlfriends, husbands and others suffering death or injury at the hands of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rep. Martinez to introduce “don’t shoot guns in the air” bill

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You’d think this wouldn’t be necessary, but it is. After being hit in the head with a bullet shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, state Rep. Armando Martinez plans to file legislation aimed at reducing or preventing celebratory gun … Continue reading →

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How not to celebrate New Years Eve

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

DO NOT SHOOT GUNS IN THE AIR! Seriously. Local law enforcement authorities here have confirmed that State Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez, District 39, is recovering after being struck by a “stray bullet.” According to Weslaco police, Martinez underwent surgery today … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

AG upholds Dallas Zoo ban on guns

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

For now. The Dallas Zoo can continue to ban guns at its 106-acre campus in Oak Cliff after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this week rejected a citizen complaint that the zoo’s firearms policy violated state law. Paxton’s office said … Continue reading →

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How ready is Texas law enforcement for open carry?

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to say. But we’ll begin to find out soon enough. Texas law enforcement has also been pretty vocal about their concerns with open carry. They are, after all, the group who’ll have to deal with most of the potential … Continue reading →

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Would you like to sit in armed or unarmed?

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Houstonia: Imagine it’s a Saturday afternoon. You stop into Whataburger to pick up lunch with your kids in tow, the only thing on your mind remembering which kid doesn’t want ketchup on his burger, which kid only wants ketchup … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Houston Zoo reverses its stance on allowing in guns

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This was a surprise. The Houston Zoo has reinstalled a series of signs that prohibit the carry of firearms into the gates of the family-friendly attraction almost three months after being forced to take them down at threat of legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Packing heat at the zoo

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, this won’t cause any controversy. Houston Zoo officials have been forced to remove long-standing “no guns” signage from the city-owned property after a prominent gun rights attorney filed a complaint, marking the first visible local example of a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Amended campus carry passes

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

All things considered, this could have been a lot worse. The Texas Senate took a final vote Saturday to approve legislation requiring the state’s public universities to allow handguns in dorms, classrooms and campus buildings. Under the latest version of … Continue reading →

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More on the initial bill filings

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib, a sampling: As of Monday afternoon, a bill repealing the Texas Dream Act, which allows undocumented immigrant students to pay in-state college tuition rates, had yet to emerge. Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick promised while campaigning that he would work … Continue reading →

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Calling to add to the call

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The special session is just a day old, and already legislators are lining up to extend its agenda to cover things that didn’t get done during regulation time. Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and Senate Transportation Chairman Robert … Continue reading →

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Guest post: Gun control realities and fallacies; is there a way forward?

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Note: The following is a guest post, written by regular reader Peter in Houston. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but he makes some good and provocative points, and I’m a believer in having thorough discussions of complex … Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

On school shootings

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. In the national collective grief rising from Friday’s mass shooting in Connecticut, one apparent trust seems to have completely shattered: that an elementary school was sacred and safe ground. Left in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Steve Brown: The Grown-Up’s Platform

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I will be presenting over the next few weeks. Texas Democrats recently adopted a very progressive platform that addresses critical areas of need in our state. It also gives reasonable, … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Amending the Texas “Stand Your Ground” law

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with this. Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said Texas needs to revise its law to prevent a tragedy such as the Trayvon Martin case in Florida from happening here. This state’s current law is not that different from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Metal detectors at the Capitol

Posted on January 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After the gunfire incident at the Capitol last week, you’d think this wouldn’t be too controversial. The day after a shooting outside the state Capitol, lawmakers on Friday suggested that metal detectors to the building entrances were imminent, a move … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

RIP, statewide smoking ban

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I thought it still had a chance after it finally passed out of committee in the Senate, but the statewide smoking ban is officially dead. [State Sen. Rodney] Ellis held a press conference to announce the death of the statewide … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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No open carry

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The “Open Carry” movement, which was advocating for a change to Texas’ concealed carry law to allow guns to be worn in plain view, appears to have failed as no bill was filed to achieve this end. [A]fter months lobbying … Continue reading →

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Big (gun)man on campus

Posted on February 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Did you ever wish you could pack heat on a college campus? Maybe someday soon, you’ll be able to. Michael Guzman, a 25-year-old Texas State University senior and Marine veteran, takes his Kimber Ultra Carry II handgun just about everywhere … Continue reading →

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