ASK A COP — Vehicle registration, Texas handgun carrying permit issues addressed

Published 12:24 am Tuesday, September 15, 2020

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Cherry from Port Arthur asks: Officer Antoine, I remember you mentioned Gov. Abbott and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles announced they were giving an extension for registration tags when the coronavirus pandemic hit Texas. The pandemic is still amongst us, can someone be given a ticket for operating a motor vehicle on the road of Texas with an expired registration sticker?

Answer: The waiver of certain vehicle registration and titling regulations remains in effect at this time. When this waiver is no longer in effect, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will make an announcement. Following the announcement that the waiver is no longer in effect, Texans will have 60 days from the date of the announcement to have their vehicle inspected and complete the registration process. In the meantime, Texans may still renew their registration while the waiver is in effect, but it is not a requirement. — Adam Shaivitz, Public Information Officer of Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

Bobby from Nederland asks: Is a handgun carrying permit from another state allowed in Texas? If someone has become a permanent resident of Texas, does that person have to regain a new permit for Texas?

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Answer: Since Texas became a license to carry state, there has been a lot of misinformation that leads to misunderstanding and confusion about the license to carry law. The state of Texas does have reciprocity regarding to handguns with many states of this nation. Which means that Texas will honor the hand gun license from said state and said state will honor our handgun law when we are there visiting. You will need to visit the Department of Public Safety website and it gives you the information regarding handgun reciprocity for all states within this nation.

Evette from Beaumont asks: I am the proud mother of a beautiful 4-month-old boy. He is my husband and I’s first child, so we’re new to this (laughing)! We have two vehicles and one car seat. Sometimes I take the infant seat out of the base and leave the base in my car, and my husband is left with the infant seat without the base. Can he transport our child legally in the car with just the infant seat without the base, or does the base have to be attached to the infant seat?

Answer: Of course you should always strive to have the base attached to the infant seat, because this provides the maximum protection for your child. But in cases where the base is in one place and the infant seat is in another, if you properly secure the infant seat without the base to the vehicle seat, “YES,” you can legally transport the child in an infant seat without the base.

Join Officer Rickey Antoine for Ask A Cop Live on KSAP 96.9 FM every Tuesday from 1 to 2:30 p.m.  You can also tune in at ksapthebreeze.org. Call in a question live at 409-982-0247. Remember to email your questions to Rickey.Antoine@portarthurtx.gov, call 409-983-8673 and leave a message or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine, 645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you happen to see me in public you can Ask A Cop!