Gov. Greg Abbott and the NRA

This is just indicative of how fast the NRA's influence is waning. Trump himself said it: "Nobody is afraid of the NRA anymore."

Nobody cares. At least, nobody who was responsible for putting it on the governor’s desk.

I'm really having a lot of trouble finding a reason for concern here. Texas earmarked $1 million for the DPS to create a safe gun storage PSA. So what. Maybe if the NRA had been doing a better job in the last decade with the Training and Education division instead of becoming a GOP lapdog and being consumed with idiotic politcal infighting, then Texas wouldn't feel the need to do their job for them.

SharpDog said:

He didn't use his line item veto.
Texas governor approves budget with gun storage safety effort opposed by NRA:

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Fake news.

Dear TSRA Members, Family and Friends:


Gun Storage and Fake News
The media has reported a bill passed in the Texas Legislature dealing with firearms storage restrictions.

This is not only misleading, it is untrue, hog-wash, and wrong!

The lines below were added to a budget bill authorizing a relatively small amount of funding for the Texas Department of Public Safety to develop a gun storage safety information campaign.

Currently there is gun storage information on the DPS website and safe gun storage has always been part of other programs such as the LTC class materials.

The exact language of what was included in this portion of the budget bill is below. The underlined language was added to confirm legislative intent and as a safe-guard. It was added by a State Representative, a staunch supporter of Texas gun-rights.

It reads as follows:

1. Statewide Safe Gun Storage Campaign. Included in the amounts appropriated above in Strategy G.1.1, Headquarters Administration, is $500,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2021 in General Revenue to establish and promote a statewide safe gun storage campaign.

The public awareness campaign shall begin no later than September 1, 2020. The public awareness campaign may include online materials, printed materials, public service announcements, or other advertising media. The public awareness campaign may not convey a message that it is unlawful under state law to keep or store a firearm that is loaded or that is readily accessible for self- defense.



Sincerely,
Alice Tripp
Legislative Director
Texas State Rifle Association
the NRA state affiliate

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Is this much different than what every manufacturer puts in the manual that goes in the new pistol box now?

I'm mystified as to why the NRA would oppose an education effort for safe gun storage in the first place. (Although a million dollars does seem like a lot of money for such a thing.)

AlexanderA said:

I'm mystified as to why the NRA would oppose an education effort for safe gun storage in the first place.

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"An NRA lobbyist told lawmakers that a campaign designed by Texas state police could be corrupted by anti-gun rhetoric."

And Martians could land on the Whitehouse lawn tomorrow.

AlexanderA said:

I'm mystified as to why the NRA would oppose an education effort for safe gun storage in the first place. (Although a million dollars does seem like a lot of money for such a thing.)

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Can lead to your guns being locked up and useless for defense.

skeeterfogger said:

Can lead to your guns being locked up and useless for defense.

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Pretty much, camels nose in the tent.

skeeterfogger said:

Can lead to your guns being locked up and useless for defense.

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Texas already penalizes the consequences of failing to secure your firearms, not the act of failing to secure them. There has been exactly zero movement to change the law from penalizing the consequences to penalizing the act.

Guess what, Texas already has PSAs regarding firearm safety, including safe storage through TPWD:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/hunting-safety/firearm-safety

... and through DPS:
https://www.dps.texas.gov/RSD/LTC/documents/SafeStorage.pdf