TexasCHLforum.com

Hi fellas,
So I've been a member for a while. I haven't posted much, but I've gained a great deal of knowledge by just reading, so I'm hoping to gain a bit more. In June I am taking a trip to Florida for three weeks for training with the service dog i'll be receiving. I've already checked USAcarry.com, so i know that I'm covered via reciprocity for my weapon. While I have very intention to comb through each state's individual laws, I was wondering if anyone could let me know of some important considerations to look for, specifically regarding hotels, restaurants, etc. I'm doing the straight shot drive through the southern states. Thanks in advance, sorry for the rookie style post.

I'm following this post!

If Driving through, I like stopping at Lake Charles or Biloxi Casinos. usually get cheap nites stay great food, and maybe a little gambling. Don't take your gun onto the casino floor but most rooms have safes.

I don't know where you are leaving from but if you cross the Sabine at I-10, they have the Border patrol monitoring you. .

Don't keep a lot of cash on you, if driving through Louisianna because the cops like to confiscate it.

Handgunlaw.com

Not much to worry about through LA, MS, AL and FL. Some differences in carrying in restaurants that serve alcohol and whether a "No Guns" sign has force of law. Some differences in which places are off limits (ex:airports). Also, if you have a TX LTC you're OK in FL but if you don't have a permit from your home state FL does not honor it. Unless it's a FL nonresident license

Check out the website above. It's pretty easy reading.

IANAL. This is my OPINION, not legal advice.

what service will the dog preform?

I'm going to Florida in about 2 weeks for vacation. I called my hotel and asked about their weapons policy before I made reservations. Had to rule my first choice out because they don't want guns on the property. Even though Florida honors Texas LTC, some hotels have a no gun policy. You should probably check ahead of time with the place you'll be staying.

I made the drive from Houston to Jacksonville a month ago.

I saw very few no guns signs. I carried concealed the whole time for the most part. Mobile, Al was the halfway point for me, and I stopped at the Comfort Suites at Tillman's Corner. Nothing fancy there, but the rates were good, the rooms were clean and comfortable and they have complimentary hot breakfast from 6 till 9am. The room does have a nice little safe. Also, if you can, then stop at the Florida welcome center for some complimentary orange juice.

As far as hotel firearms policies, I usually look online for a place before I leave so that I can browse their website briefly for any kind of a firearm policy or weapon policy.

You mainly have to watch out for gas stations with no guns signs. When I'm looking ahead for a place to stop for gas and a bathroom break I try to look for a town that has a Wal-Mart, Target, Mall, or something like that, because they will probably have a nice gas station with clean bathrooms nearby.

I regularly travel TX to AL via AR, TN, and MS. As mentioned, the biggest differences is dealing with some restaurants that serve alcohol and no carry in churches. Look for no gun signs, but I rarely ever see any. In AL no guns signs have no force for concealed carry; the only way to prohibit concealed carry is via verbal communication, but they do carry force for open carry.

I did this drive several years ago and made myself a little chart to have in my car to show me which states I needed obey signs but the main thing I wanted to be sure of that I have not already seen posted here is which states I needed to notify LEO in case I got stopped.

jerry_r60 wrote:I did this drive several years ago and made myself a little chart to have in my car to show me which states I needed obey signs but the main thing I wanted to be sure of that I have not already seen posted here is which states I needed to notify LEO in case I got stopped.

I have driven up and down the I10(12) corridor quite a bit. If stopped I do the same thing I would do the same thing I do in Texas and show my CHL along with my license. Keep my hands on the steering wheel, and answer any questions he may have.

I know there is a requirement in Louisiana to inform the officer if you are carrying but there is no requirement to produce the CHL. I have been stopped one time there, several years ago. The officer asked if I was armed I answered in the affirmitave. There was no ticket issued.

Liberty wrote:

jerry_r60 wrote:I did this drive several years ago and made myself a little chart to have in my car to show me which states I needed obey signs but the main thing I wanted to be sure of that I have not already seen posted here is which states I needed to notify LEO in case I got stopped.

I have driven up and down the I10(12) corridor quite a bit. If stopped I do the same thing I would do the same thing I do in Texas and show my CHL along with my license. Keep my hands on the steering wheel, and answer any questions he may have.

I know there is a requirement in Louisiana to inform the officer if you are carrying but there is no requirement to produce the CHL. I have been stopped one time there, several years ago. The officer asked if I was armed I answered in the affirmitave. There was no ticket issued.

My plan was the same. Present DL and LTC. Be courteous. Answer questions, and make certain not to make any threatening movements. I don't think that any officer would have seen me as a threat considering I had my two kids, my wife, and her parents all in the car and was loaded up with luggage. But driving solo, the officer could interpret things in a more threatening way. Best to always be careful and courteous.

Back to the OP's question, Florida is a very gun-friendly state. A few rules are different however.

As RoyGBiv suggested above, handgunlaw.us is your best friend.

Remember some key differences highlighted in red below (Please note that I'm just summarizing some things here. You need to do your own homework for each state that you visit):

Places Off-Limits Even With a Permit/License
790.06 (12) License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm

• Any place of nuisance as defined in s. 823.05
• any police, sheriff, or highway patrol station; Here in Texas, we can carry into the non-secure areas
• any detention facility, prison, or jail;
• any courthouse; any courtroom, except that nothing in this section would preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining who will carry a concealed weapon in his or her courtroom; Here in Texas, we can carry in non-court use buildings
• any polling place;
• any meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special district; We can carry in many of these locations here in Texas
• any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof; Not so here in Texas
• any school, college, or professional athletic event not related to firearms;
• Any elementary or secondary school facility or administration building;
• any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to such purpose; So, you can bo to Applebee's, but not sit at the bar area in Florida
• any elementary or secondary school facility;
• any area vocational-technical center;
• any college or university facility unless the licensee is a registered student, employee, or faculty member of such college or university and the weapon is a stun gun or non-lethal electric weapon or device designed solely for defensive purposes and the weapon does not fire a dart or projectile; (See Note in Parking Lot Storage Section) No Campus Carry
• inside the passenger terminal and sterile area of any airport, provided that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, which firearm is encased for shipment for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; or Here in Texas, I can carry while picking someone up in baggage claim, but not so in Florida
• any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law

Do "No Guns" signs have a force of law? No!!!

Must inform officer immediately on contact by law? No. However: The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or firearm and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer. Violations of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of $25, payable to the clerk of the court.

Open Carry? No.

Vol Texan wrote: Remember some key differences highlighted in red below (Please note that I'm just summarizing some things here. You need to do your own homework for each state that you visit):

Very nice list. Thanks for the compilation.

RoyGBiv wrote:Handgunlaw.com

Not much to worry about through LA, MS, AL and FL. Some differences in carrying in restaurants that serve alcohol and whether a "No Guns" sign has force of law. Some differences in which places are off limits mutuelles Entreprise (ex:airports). Also, if you have a TX LTC you're OK in FL but if you don't have a permit from your home state FL does not honor it. Unless it's a FL nonresident license

Check out the website above. It's pretty easy reading.

IANAL. This is my OPINION, not legal advice.

I love all the events that take place, including the carnival which is one of the most popular attractions.

If you have TX plates, watch yourself in LA territory - apparently, the State Police love Texans and want to stop and chat with us as often is possible.