One other new news item. I must dedicate this to my personal inspiration, Jim March.
I recently began a new contract with one of the state agencies here in Austin. I have a Texas CHL and I am use to carrying at work. There is a 30.06 sign on the front door of the building, but it is not compliant and I don't use that entrance anyway. When I checked around the general consensus was that it was not legal to carry there.
Texas list specific areas and conditions when a CHL holder may not carry a firearm:
(1) on the physical premises of a school or educational institution, (2) on the premises of a polling place on the day of an election or while early voting is in progress;
(3) in any government court or offices utilized by the court
(4) on the premises of a racetrack;
(5) in or into a secured area of an airport;
(6) within 1,000 feet of premises the location of which is designated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a place of execution
(7) on the premises of a business that derives 51 percent or more of its income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption
(8) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, or professional sporting event
(9) on the premises of a correctional facility;
(10) at any meeting of a governmental entity
(11) while intoxicated
The statute does define premises as being the structure only, not to include the parking lot, drives, or sidewalks. Nowhere in here is my office listed. The closest is (3) above because there is an office on the 3rd floor that is an office utilized by the court for hearings and there is an area where some people who are officers of the court work. Those areas would be off limits. Fortunately it does not say the 'premises' of an office utilized by the court or it would cover the whole building.
My first phone call was to the office of the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice. I spoke with a couple of people in that office over a two day period. They finally agreed that my interpretation was correct. They even tried to use the employee manual, but I pointed out that it referenced the old statute that was removed about 4 or 5 years ago which prohibited carry in state office buildings. The AG's office did determine that if a person were to file a complaint that it would have to be a misdemeanor violation. As a result they would contact the local police. The case would not be accepted by the State Attorney General, since it was a misdemeanor, and would be handled by the Travis County Attorney. I then contacted the Travis County Attorney and spoke to an 'Intake Attorney'. This is a person who decides what is legal and if an action isn't, that it would be prosecuted. The attorney stated that the signs were non-compliant and that the entrance that I use is not posted anyway. There was some question in her mind whether a valid 30.06 sign could even be posted at the building and if so it would at least take an order from the elected state offical in charge of the agency. It was her determination that licensed concealed carry is legal in my state office building with the exception of the office areas used by the court or officers of the court.
I recently began a new contract with one of the state agencies here in Austin. I have a Texas CHL and I am use to carrying at work. There is a 30.06 sign on the front door of the building, but it is not compliant and I don't use that entrance anyway. When I checked around the general consensus was that it was not legal to carry there.
Texas list specific areas and conditions when a CHL holder may not carry a firearm:
(1) on the physical premises of a school or educational institution, (2) on the premises of a polling place on the day of an election or while early voting is in progress;
(3) in any government court or offices utilized by the court
(4) on the premises of a racetrack;
(5) in or into a secured area of an airport;
(6) within 1,000 feet of premises the location of which is designated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a place of execution
(7) on the premises of a business that derives 51 percent or more of its income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption
(8) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, or professional sporting event
(9) on the premises of a correctional facility;
(10) at any meeting of a governmental entity
(11) while intoxicated
The statute does define premises as being the structure only, not to include the parking lot, drives, or sidewalks. Nowhere in here is my office listed. The closest is (3) above because there is an office on the 3rd floor that is an office utilized by the court for hearings and there is an area where some people who are officers of the court work. Those areas would be off limits. Fortunately it does not say the 'premises' of an office utilized by the court or it would cover the whole building.
My first phone call was to the office of the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice. I spoke with a couple of people in that office over a two day period. They finally agreed that my interpretation was correct. They even tried to use the employee manual, but I pointed out that it referenced the old statute that was removed about 4 or 5 years ago which prohibited carry in state office buildings. The AG's office did determine that if a person were to file a complaint that it would have to be a misdemeanor violation. As a result they would contact the local police. The case would not be accepted by the State Attorney General, since it was a misdemeanor, and would be handled by the Travis County Attorney. I then contacted the Travis County Attorney and spoke to an 'Intake Attorney'. This is a person who decides what is legal and if an action isn't, that it would be prosecuted. The attorney stated that the signs were non-compliant and that the entrance that I use is not posted anyway. There was some question in her mind whether a valid 30.06 sign could even be posted at the building and if so it would at least take an order from the elected state offical in charge of the agency. It was her determination that licensed concealed carry is legal in my state office building with the exception of the office areas used by the court or officers of the court.
