Harris Co, TX Residents and Former Residents

[ErnieNWillis]

I am currently holding at 109 days for my CHL. I just spoke to a DPS rep and my hold up is my Harris Co. background check. I have not lived in Harris Co sinse 1994! Have any of you experienced excessive delays because of the HC bg check?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ezenbrowntow]

I haven't personally, but that has been a common problem for sometime now. Check out this site:

TexasCHLforum.com

There's a section called "The Waiting Room", a lot of which are threads for Texas CHL applicants in various submission months (Feb, Mar, April, etc.) who are waiting on their plastic. However, there is one thread titled "Harris County Applicants", if that tells you anything about the backlog there. Pretty bad hold up from what I hear.

[cowboyrob]

I am now more than 120 days because of Harris County background check. Given that CHL is a fee sponsored DPS activity and these county based background checks are not required by statute, there is really no excuse for not using the required resources to meet the statutory requirements.

Just my $0.02

[ErnieNWillis]

I am now more than 120 days because of Harris County background check. Given that CHL is a fee sponsored DPS activity and these county based background checks are not required by statute, there is really no excuse for not using the required resources to meet the statutory requirements.

Just my $0.02

Agreed! Can you imagine a state trooper pulling you over and having to call every county to see if you have an active warrant? They know your history before they even hit their lights. Excuses and BS is what we are being fed!

[ezenbrowntow]

It's pretty lame, I agree. I can walk into a gun shop, and buy a handgun, and be out of the store within 15-20 minutes from start to finish. They do the background check over the phone. You'd think the CHL's could be handled the same way. You already let me buy the gun, let me have the license to carry it. :)

[MaleNursePX4]

135 days for me today Mr. Ernie :) I would suggest doing what I do, work, come home, go jetski, wakeboard or fishing.....and just forget about the license, it's going to be a while :)

To add insult to injury my wife and her mom bent the prop on the boat yesterday while I was at work.....so, there goes wakeboarding and fishing for me, time to go jetskiing :)

BE PATIENT GRASSHOPPER :)

[64zebra]

I am now more than 120 days because of Harris County background check. Given that CHL is a fee sponsored DPS activity and these county based background checks are not required by statute, there is really no excuse for not using the required resources to meet the statutory requirements.

Just my $0.02

maybe not spelled out in statute, but when requested by the DPS the local County/City LE agencies are to cooperate with them

the delay at the local level is from the same cause as the delay at the state level.....manpower, a deputy must work at the local level and go through the applicant's local work/criminal records, that is a manpower strain on local departments just like the overwhelming increase in applicants is kicking the DPS's tail right now

and as I've said before on here....the DPS has a set amount of employees they can use for CHLs, they can't just pull people from other departments or hire special temp workers, or add on to their staff at will, their employee numbers are set by the state legislature, their hands are tied on this manpower issue, yes there is the 90 day issue/refusal/notification statute, but at the same time the DPS can't just approve everyone without completing the process by statute also
I know it sucks for everyone that is waiting for the plastic, but until the legislature changes some things this will continue
I was really surprised that with all the delays, huge increase in applicants, and large amounts of people waiting on plastic (and making their voices heard) that nothing....absolutely nothing was addressed in this last session of the legislature. It wouldn't have taken much to fix a few things.

hang in their guys and gals

[TX-JB]

Harris County, especially the Sheriff's dept. (my former agency) has been underfunded and understaffed for more then 30 years. I'm sure they have no more than one person doing background checks for CHL's. The county commissioner's give the budgets to the constables so they can have their own personal police forces.

[MaleNursePX4]

FYI......Just got the message..."Application Completed - license issued or certificate active" online! Today makes it 162 days. How long has it been for you now Ernie?? Now we'll see how long it takes to get me the plastic here in Willis :)

[JohnHenry]

Ernie, you've posted enough buddy, and with the same question every time. Mine took 150 days (also Willis), but our area is served by the Houston (SE Texas region) DPS background checks. And they are backed up since the hurricane.

You can call DPS, but please be polite, since they get lots of calls from people who want their licenses. I don't blame you, but be polite, write letters, make polite calls, and it still probably won't help too much. They are working, and your license will come.

[chepo06]

Ernie i was 152 days when i got mine!! Chill out!! he he he it will come!!