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Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:57 pm
by slr001
It has been recommended here many time by many people to call your State Representative if your application isn't proceeding in a timely fashion. Or if you can't get a truthful, informed answer when calling for status.
I just received a follow up call from Senator Ken Paxtons office. It was an interesting call from the aid who had called Austin on my behalf.
I actually emailed the Senators office two times, as well as my Texas State Representative.
According to the aide, she contacted Austin after my first email. She said she was assured my application was being worked on and would go out shortly. When she got my second email a few weeks later, she called DPS and was told it would be completed and sent out right away. She demanded that it be put in writing, and that I be contacted personally by phone. She also told me it was finished on Monday and mailed on Tuesday.
I thanked her for the follow up and for all of the help. I also told her about this forum. She suggested that I tell people to do the same and contact there local reps. I assured her that plenty of people make that recommendation, and that I actually was prompted to contact them because of reading about it here.
I created a standalone thread for this because she told me that everyone that is having problems should contact their reps. That next session would probably provide increased funding for DPS based on these problems. She also said that the MOST common call or email they get is about CHL application problems, and she said they were one of the busier offices.
So keep this in mind. Solve your problems, and also help DPS with additional funding and perhaps some help in improving their process flow.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:55 pm
by scruff254
I contacted my representatives office yesterday and the the lady handling the issue has been nothing but professional and courteous! I am awaiting a response by the end of the day. She said she called their liaison with the DPS, and I should know something shortly. I am very pleased with the recommendation here to contact your reps... I agree!
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:06 pm
by mr1337
I called DPS yesterday (61st day since materials were sent in) and they said they hadn't received my materials (or rather they hadn't recorded that they received them).
I emailed my state representative and state senator asking them to assist.
Today at lunch I got a call from DPS saying my CHL is being printed.
I'm not gonna say it's a coincidence, but if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:15 pm
by slr001
I would encourage everyone discussing this with there Rep to also discuss fixing the process. It is great to get our CHL apps out of the black hole. But if we can help improve the process along the way, it helps everyone.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:25 pm
by scruff254
today is day 60 for me... and all Ive received was an email 53 days after submitting everything stating they received my application and fingerprints.
I'm a law abiding citizen, a volunteer firefighter and first responder... there is nothing in my background that would hold it up like it is. That being said, every time I read a success from calling the state reps, I get more and more encouraged that its just a matter of days.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:26 pm
by mr1337
slr001 wrote:I would encourage everyone discussing this with there Rep to also discuss fixing the process. It is great to get our CHL apps out of the black hole. But if we can help improve the process along the way, it helps everyone.
DPS might already be working on that. Most of the posts from June applicants say they are getting plastic in hand in around 3 weeks, which I think is reasonable. If that trend continues, they just need to catch up on April/May applications and stay on track going forward.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 3:07 pm
by Jim Beaux
Sorry for you guys having to wait so long, but maybe that's a good sign that many more Texans are getting CHLs.

Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 3:22 pm
by mojo84
Someone posted elsewhere that over there are over 200,000 new chls in the last year or so. That is quite the workload.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:10 pm
by scruff254
So after emailing my state rep, I called and got through to RSD in Austin and my documents have been processed and they are finishing up the background check, Card should be printed and mailed next week.
Call your representatives if you're having legitimate issues with the process, it infact sped up my wait time from "awaiting documentation" to "finishing background check" in a matter of 24 hours. It worked!
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:25 pm
by Charles L. Cotton
scruff254 wrote:So after emailing my state rep, I called and got through to RSD in Austin and my documents have been processed and they are finishing up the background check, Card should be printed and mailed next week.
Call your representatives if you're having legitimate issues with the process, it infact sped up my wait time from "awaiting documentation" to "finishing background check" in a matter of 24 hours. It worked!
You called your Rep. even before the 60 days processing period had expired? Why?
Chas.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:33 pm
by slr001
Charles L. Cotton wrote:scruff254 wrote:So after emailing my state rep, I called and got through to RSD in Austin and my documents have been processed and they are finishing up the background check, Card should be printed and mailed next week.
Call your representatives if you're having legitimate issues with the process, it infact sped up my wait time from "awaiting documentation" to "finishing background check" in a matter of 24 hours. It worked!
You called your Rep. even before the 60 days processing period had expired? Why?
Chas.
I know the question wasn't to me. But there is more to it than the time frame.
There are the lies (yes I was lied to), there are the hang ups (yes I was hung up on), there are people getting their licenses in 15-30 days, while others are at 60-90 (I am currently at 77).
If I see multiple people getting theirs in 15 days and I am at 45, why wouldn't I call someone?
I talked to my rep more about the broken process than the actual wait time.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:39 pm
by TVGuy
Charles L. Cotton wrote:scruff254 wrote:So after emailing my state rep, I called and got through to RSD in Austin and my documents have been processed and they are finishing up the background check, Card should be printed and mailed next week.
Call your representatives if you're having legitimate issues with the process, it infact sped up my wait time from "awaiting documentation" to "finishing background check" in a matter of 24 hours. It worked!
You called your Rep. even before the 60 days processing period had expired? Why?
Chas.

Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 4:40 pm
by EnigmaEvo8
slr001 wrote:Charles L. Cotton wrote:scruff254 wrote:So after emailing my state rep, I called and got through to RSD in Austin and my documents have been processed and they are finishing up the background check, Card should be printed and mailed next week.
Call your representatives if you're having legitimate issues with the process, it infact sped up my wait time from "awaiting documentation" to "finishing background check" in a matter of 24 hours. It worked!
You called your Rep. even before the 60 days processing period had expired? Why?
Chas.
I know the question wasn't to me. But there is more to it than the time frame.
There are the lies (yes I was lied to), there are the hang ups (yes I was hung up on), there are people getting their licenses in 15-30 days, while others are at 60-90 (I am currently at 77).
If I see multiple people getting theirs in 15 days and I am at 45, why wouldn't I call someone?
I talked to my rep more about the broken process than the actual wait time.
Just did the same. I totally agree, how can some get theirs so soon and others have to wait? Makes no sense.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 5:07 pm
by SewTexas
I haven't been paying attention to who is getting their licenses, but is it possible that those who are getting their in 15 days are renewals? it's a different process for us it doesn't take as long.
Re: Call your State Rep
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 5:09 pm
by slr001
SewTexas wrote:I haven't been paying attention to who is getting their licenses, but is it possible that those who are getting their in 15 days are renewals? it's a different process for us it doesn't take as long.
No these are new applicants... Some from mid may, and several in June.