Is it a big deal that it will break the bank, no. its a money and a control thing with government, no matter state, local or federal. It is a big deal because it just more reaching to nit pick our rights. And if we let them take a little here and a little there, before you know it you have lost your rights. That's my rant for the night!
Raider-3,
I understand that you are upset, but it is completely unfounded. If you will, step back and think about this critically.
You do not appear to be upset that, in order to obtain a new CCW permit, you must take a CCW course and give evidence of this to the sheriff. You appear to be upset that you (or your friend) must take the CCW course *again* in order to *renew* his permit. Right?
If that is the case, and I believe it is, then "nit pick[ing] our rights" is not a valid argument. Your friend is asked to do no more than he did 10 years ago: no additional cost, no additional time, no additional background checks, no additional anything that he did not already do willingly 10+ years ago.
If your argument was for the necessity of the original class, you would have a valid point (of which it is inconsequential if anyone agrees). Since your argument is against *renewing* a license, which you also must do for hunting, driving, practicing medicine, etc., you lose your validity.
Most of the responders here have told you that the sheriff is correct. Listen to them. The sheriff did not create the law; conversely, he is bound by it. If the law requires valid proof of a CCW class in the past 10 years, then the sheriff must see valid proof of a CCW class in the past 10 years to renew the license. It is as simple as that.