Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN Legal & Legislation

Texas - NRA Continues Working to Expand Your Right To Carry

Thursday, May 9, 2002

On Monday, May 6, representatives from NRA-ILA and TSRA, former State Senator and author of Texas`"Right To Carry" law Jerry Patterson, and State Rep. Rick Green (R-Dripping Springs) attended a meeting of the Hays County Republican Party to discuss the issue of cities and counties circumventing the Legislature and using the criminal trespass law to post signs prohibiting concealed handgun license holder access to their premises. The guests were invited by Republican activist, NRA member and CHL instructor Mike Cox.

Within a few days of the presentation to attendees, which included some local elected officials in Hays County, all questionable signs on county buildings and facilities had been ordered removed by Hays County Judge Jim Powers. We appreciate his thoughtfulness on this important issue and the actions he has taken to remedy the situation at the county level!

Earlier this year, the Texas House Public Safety Committee held an interim hearing on this very issue, during which legislative representatives from NRA-ILA and TSRA explained the origin of the CHL "Loophole":

* During debate on the original "Right To Carry" law in 1995, the Texas Legislature rejected amendments which would have allowed state agencies, and city or county governments to ban license holders from carrying on their premises. Instead, the Legislature specifically enumerated places which are off-limits to license holders in Sections 46.03 and 46.035 of the Penal Code. The Legislature also amended the state`s firearms preemption law to clarify that localities could not restrict carrying by CHLs.

* Changes were made to the criminal trespass law in 1997, which aimed to establish tough, uniform posting requirements for private property owners wishing to restrict access to their premises by CHLs. However, a legal opinion effectively allowed for similar posting on public property. The opinion stated that although local governing entities have no authority under the "Right To Carry" law to prohibit carrying on their premises, they may post signs in accordance with the criminal trespass statute to ban such activity.

This "loophole" for county and municipal governments has led to a proliferation of signs on public buildings across the state -- pictures of which were displayed for the Public Safety Committee and for the attendees at the Hays County Republican Party meeting.

NRA-ILA and TSRA will continue to push locally for removal of these signs on public buildings, as we believe they violate both the spirit and legislative intent of the state`s "Right To Carry" law. We will also work to close this "loophole" at the state level and reassert the Legislature`s power to regulate the wearing of arms, as stated in both the state constitution and the state`s firearms preemption law.

If you are interested in arranging a similar presentation before your local party organization or local elected officials, please contact Mike Cox at [email protected], or Alice Tripp with TSRA at [email protected] or Tara Reilly Mica, NRA-ILA Texas State Liaison at [email protected] for more information.

TRENDING NOW
Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

In a temporary reprieve for Colorado gun owners, the semi-auto ban HB24-1292 has been removed from the calendar. But we cannot let our guard down as gun control advocates can bring it up for a vote at ...

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

Much of the attention this past week in the United States Supreme Court was the oral arguments in National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo, No. 22-842, a First Amendment case on whether government officials ...

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

On March 19, the city of Chicago filed suit against handgun manufacturer Glock. Seeking to shift responsibility for the city’s woeful governance, Chicago’s lawsuit blames the popular firearm manufacturer for the third-party criminal misuse of ...

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Today, Governor Inslee signed five anti-gun bills into law that were recently passed by the Washington State Legislature. The bills include:

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill 24-1292, the semi-auto ban, that lasted over 12 hours where hundreds of patriotic Coloradans overloaded the committee with opposition testimony. The hearing concluded with an ...

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

News  

Second Amendment  

Monday, March 25, 2024

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

In response to the NRA’s victory in Bruen, which secured every American’s right to carry arms, NY passed the “Concealed Carry Improvement Act,” severely restricting carry throughout the state. The 2nd Circuit upheld many of ...

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

On Wednesday, the Senate Game & Fisheries Committee voted 7-4 to pass Senate Bill 67 to the Senate floor for a vote. 

California: DOJ Proposes Emergency Rule that Reauthorizes NRA Instructors

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

California: DOJ Proposes Emergency Rule that Reauthorizes NRA Instructors

On Monday, March 25th, the California Department of Justice published an emergency rulemaking package proposing to amend the Carry Concealed Weapons DOJ Certified Instructors regulations. Under the proposed rulemaking, NRA Certified Instructors would once again ...

Grassroots Spotlight: Michigan Grassroots

Take Action  

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Grassroots Spotlight: Michigan Grassroots

It's been a busy start to the year in the Wolverine State, as the Michigan NRA-ILA Grassroots Team has been out alerting and educating members and supporters on the critical changes in gun laws and working to stop ...

Kentucky: Credit Card Data Privacy Bill Passed Into Law

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Kentucky: Credit Card Data Privacy Bill Passed Into Law

Today, Governor Andy Beshear let HB 357, the Merchant Category Code ban legislation pass into law without his signature. Your NRA would like to thank Representatives Derek Lewis (R, H-90), Michael Meredith (R, H-19), and Senator ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.