"Stating" You Are Armed

[Right2Carry]

I don't believe stating you have a CHL or telling a friend you are carrying violates the old law at all. Simply speaking the definition of Concealed handgun is as follows:

(3) “Concealed handgun” means a handgun, the presence of which is not openly discernible to the ordinary observation of a reasonable person.

Basically IMHO I can tell anyone I am carrying if I so choose because my handgun presence would still not be openly discernible to ordinary observation of a reasonable person.

That is my take on the "secret" or concealed position. I think the above definition of concealed handgun pretty much sums up what is expected to be in complianced. Telling someone IMHO does not violate the intent of the above definition.

[twomillenium]

It is defined .
When the state gives a definition then that is the definition that is followed whether the prosecutor or the defense agrees or not.

[thetexan]

Intentionally displaying means just that.

I believe you could wear a t-shirt stating that you are armed as long as you do not display.

PC §42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly:
(8) displays a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm;

The 'alarm' clause is used to define a disorderly conduct charge requiring an intentional display as one of its elements.

Yes, you can advise someone you are armed. That would not be wise in my opinion simply because you give up that up-to-then unknown element to would-be attackers. It is none of their business. But stating you are armed does not violate any statute I am aware of.

If you know of one, show it.

tex

[jmra]

I rarely ever worry about something that has never happened. Hundreds of thousands of CHL holders many of whom I'm sure have verbally disclosed that they were carrying without any of them being prosecuted for doing so. One of the things I loved about my original instructor was that he made it very clear when he was stating law and when he was giving his opinion. He also gave examples of court cases for the laws people had actually been prosecuted for violating.

[thetexan]

In my work I am constantly bombarded with students wanting an interpretation of some rule because they 'heard' or 'thought' the rules said something but were not sure.

The 'book' is the great argument stopper.

I tell all of my students that when they hear someone say 'you can't' or 'you're supposed to' or 'you have to' or ''you must' or use any other imperative word they are saying there is a rule authorizing or prohibiting that point. And I always say...'show me the rule' unless I know there is none.

Show me the rule that makes it unlawful to advise someone that I am armed. If I am prohibited from doing so there must be a rule somewhere. I know of none.

tex

[MeMelYup]

In my work I am constantly bombarded with students wanting an interpretation of some rule because they 'heard' or 'thought' the rules said something but were not sure.

The 'book' is the great argument stopper.

I tell all of my students that when they hear someone say 'you can't' or 'you're supposed to' or 'you have to' or ''you must' or use any other imperative word they are saying there is a rule authorizing or prohibiting that point. And I always say...'show me the rule' unless I know there is none.

Show me the rule that makes it unlawful to advise someone that I am armed. If I am prohibited from doing so there must be a rule somewhere. I know of none.

tex

There is no rule about telling someone that you ar armed. It is considered good policy not to tell people indiscriminately that you are armed as a CHL. In some circles you telling persons that you are armed could be perceived as a threat. Or certain persons within a group may take it that way. Who knows there might be some MDA present.

[The Wall]

If someone asks if I'm carrying the answer will be no. Unless it's a law enforcement officer. Just like the question about telling your doctor if you have any firearms. There's no law against lying to doctors or non-law enforcement. Just say no.

[psijac]

It's important to be truthful. i would not announce that I am carrying but if asked directly, by a friend I would say, "Yes I am carrying, just like every other time we have hung out, like at your wedding." But discretion is also important, Don't make a scene, de-escalation of tensions is the heart of concealed carry

[The Annoyed Man]

"Are you carrying a gun?"

"I don't know. Am I?"

"You don't know if you're carrying a gun?"

"What do you think?"

I can do this all day long........

[joe817]

Very few people outside my family know that I have a CHL. In the years I've had it, not one person, family or not, has ever asked me if I was carrying. And I've never, ever divulged to anyone that I was carrying. It's nobody's business but my own. I have no need to brag to anyone that I have a CHL or that I carry all the time.

I want to keep it that way too. It's flying under the radar. Concealed is concealed.