Texas Senate backs guns in cars at workplaces

Texas Senate backs guns in cars at workplaces

www.dallasnews.com

AUSTIN – Texans could carry their guns and ammunition to work – as long as they keep them in the car or pickup – under a bill passed unanimously by the Senate on Wednesday.

The measure by Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, would bar businesses from having policies that prohibit their employees from storing legal firearms and ammunition in their locked vehicles outside their place of work.
Also Online

Legislature's top issues

Find a bill | Legislature calendar

House members | Senate members

Who represents me?

Politics blog: Texas Legislature

Follow the 2009 Texas Legislature

"People like their firearms in Texas, and if they want to bring them to the workplace, they are going to do it whether there is a policy or not," Hegar said in response to concerns that a disgruntled worker might be encouraged to bring a gun to work to settle a dispute.

He added: "It is not the firearm in the car that causes the problem, it's the individual who possesses the firearm."

(visit the link for the full news article)

Seems like Texas just keeps pushing the envelope when it comes to its proactive gun law for citizens. Anti-gun proponents will not be happy about this move. I think the intent is good but am not totally convinced it is necessary. There are not too many workplace shootings in Texas. Even if there was a workplace shooting, somebody would still have to make it to the parking lot to get their gun to be of any use.

Good or bad idea?



www.dallasnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Push the envelope? How is the 2nd amendment something to be bargained with? How is the 2nd amendment something to be measured with every passing of a law?

The fact is, I have the right to carry a firearm wherever the heck I want, unless it's a private location, in which case I need to respect the wishes of the owner. This isn't a 2nd amendment right, a right our founding fathers believed in, a state carry permit or a god-given right. Matter of fact, it's not even a right... it's beyond that: As long as I am not hurting anyone or anyone's property, it's no one's business what I am doing or how hard I'm packing!

reply to post by please_takemyrights

Push the envelope? How is the 2nd amendment something to be bargained with? How is the 2nd amendment something to be measured with every passing of a law?

I say push the envelope because while other states are trying to take away your guns and ammunition, Texas is trying to give them back.

Oh how I love my Great State of Texas.

Similar legislation recently passed in Florida also.

Florida Preservation & Protection of the Right to Keep & Bear Arms in a Motor Vehicle Act of 2008

As a native Texan, I feel this is a wonderful way to thin the herd.

After work go to the bar, get all likkered up, pissed off and get your piece, go back in the bar and thin the herd. Don't mess with this Texan!!

Usher in a lawyers holiday.

reply to post by jam321


Great idea! What I legally carry in my car is my business, not my employers. I am not going to leave my weapon at home because somebody at work doesn't like it.

I seriously doubt anyone has ever said - "Hey, I'm gonna go to work and shoot the place up. Oh wait, I can't, the boss won't allow me to have my gun in my car."

its about time they start reversing all these stupid infringements on the right to keep and bear arms.


heres what they did in my state a few weeks ago...not quite there yet but at least they are going in the right direction.

www.ksl.com...


heres some more recent victories

www.abovetopsecret.com...'

I know too many Texans that have been pulled over and searched when carrying firearms and end up in jail on charges of "suspicion".... They can use this charge and if you can't be charged with anything else you will be released, but you still go through the booking procedures and have an arrest record that will cost you legal fees to have expunged. You will get free lodging for the night and may get your gun returned but I don't need this kind of crap at my age.... They have always required people to carry their fire arms or ammo in the trunk and the other in the passenger compartment or locked in the glove box.... There is a state law still on the books from the late 1800s that make it illegal to carry a club, large knife, or gun in a horse drawn vehicle or saddle bag.

reply to post by slicobacon

Great idea! What I legally carry in my car is my business, not my employers. I am not going to leave my weapon at home because somebody at work doesn't like it.

seems like the law is on your side.

Last month, a Denver-based federal appeals court ruled that Oklahoma's law protecting employees' rights to have a guns in their locked vehicles at work is constitutional.

www.mercurynews.com...

Yes, good old Texas.

It always makes me happy to see our 2nd Amendment rights make progress. So now I can take my gun to work so long as I leave it in my parked, locked car and don't take it inside.

I like how in the article the Senators says he doesn't want to see the concealed gun license made innefective by businesses not allowing employees to keep their weapons locked in their vehicle. Its good to see politician looking out for our rights for a change.

Texas does seem to be going in a diferent direction than other states on a few issues... nice to see

You know, part of me agrees with this law. I mean, if it is legal for you to carry the firearm in the first place, what business is it of your employer?

However, the realist in me thinks this will never stop any crime from occurring. On top of that it may create a scenario where at the very least, a manager should take caution when firing an employee, and at the worst could result in many deaths from disgruntled, fired co-workers acting on emotion.

I don't know, my opinion is this law has little upside and an immense downside.

I have always had guns in my trucks when i worked in the mining industry and have even had the boss call me to being my gun into the workplace when he had to fire a thieves/nutcases on the job site.

I worked as a federal security officer before i got into the mining business and my bosses knew this and used my services as a company security person when they felt the job needed it. (pouring or transporting gold ETC)
But then i was also a firefighter/EMT and when that was needed on a job site I filled in there to.

If a company banned guns I just hid them in special places in my truck and never told anyone.

I would rather be safe then dead. They can only fire you if you are alive.

In all the years i carried i never had a company search my vehicles good enough to have ever found where i kept my guns hidden.
What few searches were for drugs and they always used dogs.
and there are only a few trained dogs that look for guns so i was never worried.
Japan seam to be the only country that uses gun detecting dogs as a regular use.
www.breitbart.com...

The only places i have heard of in the US that use dogs to search for guns are military bases and airports and I would never carry at those places anyway.

reply to post by BluegrassRevolutionary

However, the realist in me thinks this will never stop any crime from occurring. On top of that it may create a scenario where at the very least, a manager should take caution when firing an employee, and at the worst could result in many deaths from disgruntled, fired co-workers acting on emotion.

You raise an interesting point that always leads to the debate about whether the gun OR the person firing the gun is to blame for the senseless workplace shootings that we see.

People have lost their jobs because they left a hunting rifle in their truck, or had one round of ammunition in their vehicle during a routine search.

This law will protect them from harassment.

It also allows workers the means of self-defence during their drive to and from work, something they would otherwise be denied.

I have to honest here and say I dont understand these bills.

Granted gun laws vary from state to state. I've lived in two states; one slave (CT) the other free (NH) and in both states unless it is specifically prohibited, like a school, I could carry at work. I'd work all day carrying. Why can't employees in Texas or Florida?

Are these bills focused on employers who specifically forbid the carrying of arms on their property? If that's the case then as a private company isnt it that companies right? Not a choice I'd personally make or agree with but if a friend of mine asked me to not carry when visiting his private property that's his right and mine is to either comply or not visit his property.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


As a proud citizen of Texas, if you were to look at most Texas laws being passed, you would notice there are many duplicate bills being passed. Necessary, not really. More or less statements of re-affirmation on where Texas stands.

This is my honest opinion. We have always had a choice of a concealed handgun license in which we can carry on the person. To my knowledge, we have always had the right to carry in the automobile (without a concealed license) as long as:
1. it is not loaded (magazine seperate from main weapon)
2. it is not within easy reach (in the trunk or under back seat if no trunk exists)
3. if pulled over by law enforcement, we have to inform said law enforcement of presence of said weapon

I LOVE Texas!

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

This fixes the issue that was alluded to earlier. In Texas you're allowed to carry a concealed firearm if you have a clean criminal record and take a safety course. Employers who prohibited individuals from keeping a weapon locked in their car were circumventing the law. The individual obviously couldn't carry a concealed weapon on the way to work or on the drive home since there would be no place to leave the gun during work.

The employers were creating a chilling effect that nullified the law that allowed individuals to carry concealed weapons.

Originally posted by dbates
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

In Texas you're allowed to carry a concealed firearm if you have a clean criminal record and take a safety course. Employers who prohibited individuals from keeping a weapon locked in their car were circumventing the law.

If you can carry why leave it in your car?

Is this for those who cannot concealed carry but can have a gun in the car?

Seems odd a business would tell those with guns in their cars they cant keep them in their cars all the while employees are CC'ing all around them.

Oh, is it about rifles? Rifles arent for CC but often people bring them to work so they can go to the range before or after without making multiple trips. I bring my rifles into work though. I dont have a trunk so I dont trust it just sitting in the car. Too many rocks and only a couple of windows if you catch my drift.

[edit on 27-3-2009 by thisguyrighthere]

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

No, you can't carry a weapon inside your place of employment if they tell you not to. That's private property and the employer makes up their own rules. In most places you have to leave your weapon in the car. Which makes it obvious what the problem was with them banning weapons in your own personal car.