At the risk of being repetitious, I will, er, repeat that the fines-for-signs law has really stirred the pot, and I think it is probably doing more to expand carry rights than OC. OC has prompted a number of business to adopt a no-open-carry or no-carry-at-all policy.
But the fines-for-signs law has caused every governmental agency to make sure that they are not violating the rights of properly licensed handgun carriers and update their policies. What's interesting is that some state agencies are not only adopting policies that explicitly support the right of licensed citizens to carry on state property, they have extended this to their employees as well. As an employer, the state can regulate carry by its employees, but some state agencies had allowed concealed carry by employees in the past, and it appears that several more have adopted that as well as a part of make sure they comply with the sign law.
For example, all members of the Texas State Guard, Texas Army National Guard, and Texas Air National Guard who have licenses may carry on state property while on or off duty, and their commanders may not restrict this. If in uniform they must carry concealed, but in civvies they can open carry as well.
The Texas DOT recently adopted concealed carry for its employees, and several agencies as well. I have heard that the Texas Comptroller is changing agency policy to allow licensed concealed carry. This is interesting because in the past they had a very strict carry policy -- only commissioned peace officers employed by the agency could carry guns on Comptroller turf - not even other commissioned peace officers from another police agency that also worked for the Comptroller (e.g. reserve deputies) could carry in Comptroller offices.
I would not have predicted that fines-for-signs would have generated this much change.
But the fines-for-signs law has caused every governmental agency to make sure that they are not violating the rights of properly licensed handgun carriers and update their policies. What's interesting is that some state agencies are not only adopting policies that explicitly support the right of licensed citizens to carry on state property, they have extended this to their employees as well. As an employer, the state can regulate carry by its employees, but some state agencies had allowed concealed carry by employees in the past, and it appears that several more have adopted that as well as a part of make sure they comply with the sign law.
For example, all members of the Texas State Guard, Texas Army National Guard, and Texas Air National Guard who have licenses may carry on state property while on or off duty, and their commanders may not restrict this. If in uniform they must carry concealed, but in civvies they can open carry as well.
The Texas DOT recently adopted concealed carry for its employees, and several agencies as well. I have heard that the Texas Comptroller is changing agency policy to allow licensed concealed carry. This is interesting because in the past they had a very strict carry policy -- only commissioned peace officers employed by the agency could carry guns on Comptroller turf - not even other commissioned peace officers from another police agency that also worked for the Comptroller (e.g. reserve deputies) could carry in Comptroller offices.
I would not have predicted that fines-for-signs would have generated this much change.
