Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 11:02:24 -0600
From: Jeff Halapin <[g--ee--y] at [onramp.net]>

More Than 112,000 Texans Licensed to Carry Concealed Weapons
By JUAN B. ELIZONDO Jr.
Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) _ Seventeen Texans licensed to carry concealed
handguns have lost the privilege, according to the Texas Department
of Public Safety.

The DPS reported Monday that 112,483 had been granted licenses
as of Dec. 3. Sixteen men and one woman had their licenses revoked,
but the department couldn't immediately give a reason for all of
them.

Seven licenses were taken away because of criminal activities,
spokeswoman Sherri Deatherage Green said.

In all, the DPS had received 115,437 applications as of Friday.
Of those, 1,284 had been denied and 1,670 were awaiting word on
their applications.

State lawmakers approved the carrying of concealed handguns last
year. They are expected to deal with the law again next year.

Proponents want to reduce the number of places where concealed
handguns are prohibited. They also want to make clear that only the
Legislature can regulate the carrying of handguns.

Opponents of the concealed-carry law want to add to the list of
places where the guns can't be carried. They also want to clarify
that local governments and agencies can ban guns from their
locations and expand required training for gun owners.

The DPS report released Monday gave details about 110,076
licenses issued as of Dec. 3.

The report shows:

_ 88,582, or 80.5 percent, of the permits went to men. Just more
than 93 percent of those, or 82,607, went to white men. That could
include Hispanics, who aren't counted as a separate group.

_ Black men were issued 3,126 permits, or 2.8 percent of the
total.

_ Women held 21,494 permits, including 536 permits given to
black women.

_ Those whose licenses were revoked were classified as white.

Information about license holders also is given by zip code.
Codes where the most permitholders live include:

_ 75043 (477) in Garland.

_ 75150 (458) in Mesquite.

_ 76017 (441) in Arlington.

_ 77536 (431) in Deer Park.

_ 75067 (422) in Lewisville.

The oldest permitholder is 85. There are 153 permitholders who
are at the youngest eligible age of 21.

(Copyright 1996 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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