Do you have a Texas Concealed Handgun License?
Did you realize that it is now a valid form of identification?
House Bill 2739 (see the full text below) went into effect on September 1, 2015. What this does is amend the Business and Commerce Code which now requires Texas businesses to accept a Texas Concealed Handgun License as a valid form of personal identification for access to goods, services, or facilities.
Three things this House Bill does NOT affect are:
- Laws requiring a driver license to operate a motor vehicle.
- The existing requirement to present a driver license when renting a car.
- The type of identification required under federal law to access airport premises or to pass through airport security.
Now that you are able to use it as a form of identification, the question is, SHOULD YOU? Personally I wouldn’t use my concealed carry permit or license (depending on the state you are in) as a form of identification. To me this would be the same as telling someone I am carrying concealed. I prefer to carry concealed for just that reason, so no one knows I have a handgun on me. I don’t want to get into the open carry vs. concealed carry debate. This is just my own personal preference.
But it is good to know that as a last resort, if for some reason you didn’t have your driver’s license on you but did have your Texas Concealed Handgun License on you, then you could use it as a form of identification.
Click here for more information on obtaining a Texas Concealed Handgun License.