http://cnycentral.com/news/local/mexico-ny-church-proclaims-pro-gun-stance
Posted on 11/19/2017 8:29:44 AM PST by Elderberry
Carrying in Church
Since the Sutherland Springs tragedy, Texans with a handgun license are asking for reassurance, "Can licensees carry in a church?" The easy answer is YES. State law does not prohibit you and has not since 1997, however your church might!
The Back Story
In 1995 when CHL law finally passed, the answer to the Church Question was NO. Initially churches were a prohibited location.
Then in 1997, when the language to Penal Code 30.06 passed creating the sign familiar to licensees, one line was added to PC 46.035.
The addition of that one line (i) treats churches as other private property. Churches and church property were longer prohibited unless the sign is posted.
An attempt was made by the "other side" in 1999 to make churches prohibited locations again. The committee refused to vote and the bill died
My minister testified: "The Peace of God is not disturbed by law-abiding citizens exercising their constitutional rights. In addition, our country was founded on the separation of church and state and I do not need the state of Texas telling my people how to manage their property. "
Should PC 46.035 be clarified?
Well of course, but it was the best that could be passed in 1997 and has worked well for 20 years.
If your church decides to allow those with a handgun license to carry but doesn't want to see a handgun, it's possible to either post PC 30.07 or to give effective notice which can mean a "cover up, please" card.
Posting both 30.06 and PC 30.07 is required to fully prohibit handgun licensees. Consider this, are licensees a bigger concern for the church than criminals? Signs do not stop criminals.
Volunteer Church Security
Churches have not been allowed by statute to organize a security committee.
The problem has been with the Occupation Code and with the private security industry.
The language problem was finally corrected in the last session.
Now any church can organize volunteers to participate in church security. The volunteer church members may carry if they have a license to carry, but they must not appear to be law enforcement or appear to be a security guard.
This means their physical appearance. Don't make shirts or provide badges and remind your volunteers often that they are not security guards or law enforcement. My suggestion is to include the women of your church.
Happy Thanksgiving
In Texas we have much to consider and many reasons to be thankful.
Next year, 2018, is an election year. There will be Congressional seats to fill and Texas House members are filing to run for open Congressional seats. This means House district offices will be open and new people in the Texas House. A few House seats in urban areas are at-risk. We need to elect the best and the smartest and monitor everyone.
During the week following Sutherland Springs, four Texas House Democrats and their anti-gun friends laid out a wish list during a press conference. The threat includes: a rifle license for the "carrying of a rifle", universal background checks, another layer of protective orders, and more.
I hesitate to mention of the name of the North Dallas Republican State Rep or the editorial carried in the Dallas News. Similar off the cuff comments cost him an endorsement by TSRA two years ago. Such comments are not missed and not forgotten.
In Conclusion
Be thankful for family and friends, be thankful for a country where discussion and even disagreements are required and make all of us stronger and more determined.
Thank you for 99 years of membership and your gifts to the Texas State Rifle Association and the TSRA-PAC.
God bless and Keep the Faith
Alice Tripp Legislative Director
Said another way, if you walk by one of these signs while carrying....you’ve committed a crime. You could be busy, distracted, whatever. But you’ve committed a crime just the same. That’s something folks in Texas need to deal with; these silly signs come with criminal penalties.
Compared to other states, Texas gun laws suck.
Poltics is a scam and we’re suckers for playing.
In Missouri, if you accidentally walk past a sign, and get caught you are asked to leave..if you don’t, then you can be prosecuted.
I accidentally walk past them all the time.
I also carried during the 9 am Mass this morning.
Keep it concealed and don’t go around bragging you’re carrying. When a mad man starts shooting up the place and you end the situation, no one will care that you failed to abide by a cardboard sign.
Yes, Texas gun laws suck big time.
When I see these signs I make sure to tell the proprietor I will not frequent his establishment and will tell my friends!!! These signs are getting rarer here!!!
I depends on how you look at it. Texas made it legal to carry in state Jr. Colleges and universities!!!
Also...things are going to get much more conservative in Texas since we finally dumped Joe Strauss!!
The same thing in Virginia and most states. Unless you’re carrying someplace where it’s already prohibited such as a courthouse it’s not a crime.
Politics is a scam and we’re suckers for playing.
There has been progress, thankfully, but Texas will remain on the second tier when it comes to gun rights for the foreseeable future. Nowhere near as good as first tier states such as NH, ME, WY, AZ, etc. Pretty sad when yankee states like NH are orders of magnitude better than TX on gun rights.
Politics is a scam and we’re suckers for playing.
Thanks for posting !
http://cnycentral.com/news/local/mexico-ny-church-proclaims-pro-gun-stance
NY ping to post 12.
I just heard about this the other day from a friend.
Legal in Indiana as long as the church is NOT also a school....which ours is. So to carry there, you have to have permission of the Church.
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