Forum On Texas Right-to-carry Laws

[GeekWithGun]

The Texas Legislature passed the Right-To-Carry Law in 1995. Seven years later, Texas citizens, legally licensed to carry concealed handguns, are being prevented from doing so.
You are cordially invited to join Senator Jerry Patterson candidate for State Land Commissioner and author of the Texas Right-To-Carry Law, Suzanna Hupp State Representative District 54, Dan West President of the Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors Association, and Texas residents as more is revealed about this double standard during a regional panel discussion. This forum is open to the public, and takes place August 29, 2002 from 7pm to 9pm at the New Braunfels Civic Center, 380 S. Seguin St., New Braunfels, TX.

You may already be aware that the Texas Penal Code strictly defines who may be licensed to carry concealed handguns, where such weapons may be carried, and what processes must be followed to ban the carrying of concealed weapons onto certain premises. What you may not know is that many Texas municipalities and counties either ban concealed weapons, or fail to meet the very specific notification provisions of the statute.
The Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA), recently noted, “When the Texas Legislature originally passed the state’s ‘Right To Carry’ Law in 1995, it repeatedly rejected amendments to the bill which would have given state agencies and local governments authority to ban or seriously restrict lawful carrying by license holders in state and local government buildings.”

Yet, according to the National Rifle Association (NRA), Texas cities and counties “…exploit (a) loophole to circumvent (the) Legislature and ban concealed handgun licensees from their premises…” These infractions are occurring in Arlington, Corpus Christi, Dallas, San Antonio, Baytown, Euless, Liberty, Plano, Richardson, San Angelo, Tyler, Wichita Falls, New Braunfels, Travis County, Harris County and many other cities and counties across the state.

Attend the upcoming regional panel discussion and learn more about what legally licensed citizens are saying and what some lawmakers plan to do. Call Mark A. Stephens at 512-395-8302 for more information.

Forum Sponsors:
Hays County Republican Party
Guadalupe County Republican Party
Travis County Republican Party
Second Amendment Sisters of Texas
Blanco County Republican Party
Students for the Second Amendment
Comal County Republican Party
Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors Association
Hays Republican Club
Alamo Area Friends of the National Rifle Association
Caldwell County Republican Party
Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas
Peaceable Texans For Firearm Rights
Armed Females of America,Texas Chapter
South Texas Volunteers
Geeks With Guns
Liberty Belles
Young Americans For Freedom of Texas
Bexar County Republican Party

 

[King]

Sounds like I need to plan of being there to see what's up.

In what way are these cities / counties exploiting a loop hole? I conceal carry freely within the State of Texas but am not specifically aware that I'm banned from carrying expect to the extent that it's called up within Texas law (govt buildings, schools, amusement parks, hospitals, etc).

It does gall me that you can't conceal carry on LCRA property. It's never clearly marked as such anyway.

How about some examples?

 

[GeekWithGun]

reply

Here is the official website...

<a href="http://www.sf2a.org/rtc_forum.htm">http://www.sf2a.org/rtc_forum.htm</a>

They can be contacted for more information. The fact that the writers of the right-to-carry law is making time for this means the intent of the law is being violated! (and I live in EULESS!)

Wil

 

[westex]

I kinda agree with you King. I travel over most of the state and never seen any problem. Looks more like a Republican fundraising event to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm one myself.

 

[TexasVet]

I travel over most of the state and never seen any problem.

Tried to get into a county owned NON-governmental building while carrying? Like the new Reliant Hall at the Dome or, say, the Texas State Fair? The law did not mean to include these types of buildings. At least that's what the guys who wrote it are saying. They are the one's holding this meeting. Check the last few TSRA mags for more info.

 

[Blackhawk]

Hope there's a big turn out, and that the event is publicized before and after the fact.

Sounds like museums, buses, and other publically owned facilities are taking it on themselves to usurp the law.

Wonder what a 30.06 sign on a bus looks like. Anybody seen one? Guess it would have to be on the outside....

 

[Wingshooter]

How ironic would it be if they posted a 30.06 sign at the meeting???


edited to add a silly question:

What's "LCRA"?

 

[Gopher]

They are trying to put some teeth in the law saying that the Texas Legislature is the ONLY governing body that can make changes on where you can or cant carry. Some cities are making signs or city ordances that say you cant carry in a park or this city owned building etc. It is also trying to pass laws that say the 30.06 sign is the only lawful sign stating no carry. Some cities are making signs that look like or are worded almost the same. Basically they are trying to take the wind out of someof the various Anti's sails.

 

[King]

Wingshooter...the LCRA is thew Lower Colorado River Authority...they manage the waterways and own or control huge amounts of land. Back in '95, they apparently had the power / clout to have all their properties made off limits to concealed carry.

One, that seems pretty arbitrary and two, they don't neccesarily mark their property such that's it's clear that they own it.

There may be some local issues about the state, it's just that I have not personally encountered any of them. Surprised? No. I was just looking for some specific example(s) so that I can better understand the issues. By doing so, I can get involved appropriately.

Bottom line, the legislature in Texas has spoken. It's authority should override any local jurisdictions laws that dilute that authority. What we have so far is hard one....no going back now.

 

[Mark A.Stephens]

The Texas Penal Code strictly defines who may be licensed to carry concealed handguns, where such weapons may be carried, and what processes must be followed to ban the carrying of concealed weapons onto certain premises. Yet, many Texas city and county governments either ban such weapons, or fail to meet the very specific notification provisions of the statute.
The Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA), recently noted, “When the Texas Legislature originally passed the state’s ‘Right To Carry’ law in 1995, it repeatedly rejected amendments to the bill which would have given state agencies and local governments authority to ban or seriously restrict lawful carrying by license holders in state and local government buildings.”
Yet, according to The National Rifle Association (NRA), Texas cities and counties… “exploit a loophole to circumvent The Legislature and ban concealed handgun licensees from their premises…” The Fairfax, Virginia based National Rifle Association notes that the Texas Legislature specifically enumerated in Penal Code Sections 46.03 and 46.035 places where concealed handgun license holders were prohibited from carrying weapons. These places are school buildings and buses, polling places on election day, courthouses, racetracks, secured areas of an airport, bars or saloons, sporting events, correctional facilities and permanent amusement parks of sufficient size and county population. Legally licensed concealed handgun licensees may also be prohibited from hospitals, churches, amusements parks and any privately owned business provided the owners post a sign “in accordance with Penal Code section 30.06 in order for effective notice to be deemed given to licensees…” Public buildings other, than courthouses, sports stadiums (implied), and police stations are not listed in 46.03 or 46.035.
Section 30.06 states that the posted sign must read:


PROHIBITING HANDGUNS IN A BUSINESS
OR OTHER ENTITY


"PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY HOLDER OF A LICENSE TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN) A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (CONCEALED HANDGUN LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN."

"CONFORME A LA SECCIÓN 30.06 DEL CÔDIGO PENAL (TRASPASAR PORTANDO ARMAS DE FUEGO) PERSONAS CON LICENCIA BAJO DEL SUB-CAPITULO H, CAPITULO 411, CODIGO DE GOBIERNO (LEY DE PORTAR ARMAS), NO DEBEN ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD PORTANDO UN ARMA DE FUEGO."


The provision mandates that this sign must be posted verbatim in English and Spanish, must meet specific size, color, typestyle and placement requirements. (As the city of Houston has recently discovered.)
According to The National Rifle Association, the following locations are just a few examples of locations where 30.06 signs or signs not meeting the specification of 30.06 are posted to prohibit otherwise lawful carry of Texas Right-To-Carry Licensees:
Arlington, TX. City Hall, Parks and Recreation Department, Water Department
Baytown, TX. Sterling Municipal Library
Corpus Christi, TX. Museum of Science & History, Bayfront Plaza Exhibit Hall
Dallas, TX. Dallas Public Library (Fretz Park Branch,) Fretz Park Recreation Center, Dallas Convention Center
Euless, TX. Euless City Library
Harris County, TX. Harris County Dome Stadium Complex, Harris County Public Library (Kingwood Branch)
Liberty, TX. Liberty County Courthouse Square
Plano, TX. Plano Municipal Center, Gladys Harrington Public Library
Richardson, TX. Richardson Public Library
San Angelo, TX. Facilities for Tom Green County/San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
San Antonio, TX. Botanical Gardens, VIA Buses, San Antonio City Parking Garage
Travis County, TX. Sandy Creek Park, Cypress Creek Park
Tyler, TX. Tyler City Hall, Tyler Development Center, Tyler Water Utilities Department
Wichita Falls, TX. Wichita Falls City Offices, Wichita Falls Public Library, Wichita Falls Multi-Purpose Event Center
New Braunfels, TX. Comal Appraisal District Building, Comal County Fair Grounds

 

[Mark A.Stephens]

This forum is not a fund raiser for any one.The cost has already been paid.No money will be asked for or accepted. LCRA not only denies visitors and emlployees the right to self-defense on their properties and buildings (all paid for by tax payer funds)but they tell employees they can not even bring their gun and leave them in their car,a clear violation of the law. LCRA then went further to say that all employees autos were subject to search without permission or warrent.This gentlemen is unconstitutional but this does not matter to them since they are already violating Section 23 of the Texas State Constitution by putting up the 30.06 signs and others in the first place. This meeting is a discussion of what the law says and what we are going to have to do to make certain city,county,and state enteties obey it.

 

[GeekWithGun]

right on

Right On!

Glad to see that lawmakers are even paying attention. These "fire-and-forget" laws really irk me and make me believe that the system just CAN'T work.

Someone has to take responsibility...

 

[Blackhawk]

Mark,

Welcome to TFL!

I hope you'll stop by often, and best wishes regarding this good work you're doing!

 

[Mark A.Stephens]

Hi Mr.Blackhawk
I was told "come on in the water was fine" and they were right. Please come to the forum and bring a friend. Tell everyone you know. Post the Forum date every where you can.This won't work without people like you.
Thanks
Mark

 

[Blackhawk]

Mark,

TFL is a great gunsite, but its 15,000 worldwide members don't seem to have much activist blood coursing through their veins.

A bunch of them got hacked at me for sending the Private Messages about simply going to a website in New Zealand to vote for a shooter in a sports beauty contest there, which would have gotten the sport of shooting a lot of free favorable publicity.

This thread has been up for about 36 hours and it's had only 145 views, and that includes at least 3 by me.

Point is, efforts to drum up attendance are going to be much more effective if made by gun stores, firing ranges, CCW instructors, and other enthusiasts, than posts here. It's politics, and Jerry Patterson knows how to get a turnout, at least he should.

Seems like he should turn his supporters loose on this because a big turnout helps him, but a paltry one might be counter productive.

Isn't Southwest Texas University in that neck of the woods? I'll bet a bunch of students could be rounded up to fill chairs, and they'd look good on camera....

Also "New Braunfels" sounds like it might be one of those Texas towns with a high percentage of German descendents in it. It ought to be pretty conservative and favorable to this initiative. Maybe shoe leather tactics around town would be productive.

As I said, best wishes, and be sure to keep us posted!