Posted on 01/27/2005 3:28:02 PM PST by NativeTexun
Houston transit riders can carry guns 04:32 PM CST on Thursday, January 27, 2005 HOUSTON – Houston area residents licensed to carry concealed handguns can now take their weapons aboard buses and light rail trains. The board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County on Thursday repealed its long-standing ban of concealed weapons. The transit authority, also known as Metro, had banned such weapons on its buses and trains since 1995, when the Legislature voted to allow licensed owners to carry concealed handguns in most public places. In 2003, the state amended the concealed handgun law to prevent Texas cities from banning such weapons from public buildings. In response to the change in the law, Metro officials on Thursday voted to amend their policy to now prohibit the unlawful carrying of such weapons. "I think Metro was not enthusiastic about people carrying handguns on board, but we cannot legally ban people who are legally carrying those handguns from being on Metro," said David Wolff, Metro's chairman. The change in Metro's policy was sparked by a lawsuit filed in October 2003 by several organizations. "Metro is to be commended. They did the right thing. They did the lawful thing. They saved their ratepayers unnecessary funds to litigate it further," said Texas General Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who is chairman of the Civil Liberties Defense Foundation, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
Full text of article posted .. do not need to go to URL on this one....
Gotta love Texans! I hope they can site that in Portland Oregon! There is a Liberal trying to take our gun rights away again here. Ooooo big surprise there... DOH!
Thanks for posting this!!!
Hello every body,
This is my first post on these forums (though I enter others).
I’m all for legalised gun ownership but isn’t this a little extreme? Somehow I can imagine that people who ride on busses have a social obligation to respect the wishes of others (i.e. those who do not feel secure around firearms). One would not smoke on a public bus service for similar reasons…
Although equally it could be said that now we are allowing potential hostage takers onto busses with firearms.
Well, we don't have to have their enthusiam--all we need is what we got--the right to bear arms on the transit system.
I guess since there haven't been any of those wildly predicticted shoot-outs in the streets since they "allowed" us to carry in public buildings, there didn't seem to be any reason for them to keep their ban in place.
>>Gotta love Texans! <<
Yup, still hints of the Wild West. ; >
>>Thanks for posting this!!! <<
You're welcome.
Criminals do not obey laws--get that?
Welcome aboard. You may want to study the history of this topic in the United States to gain a better understanding of why so many Americans consider stories such as this a good thing.
Or, if you prefer, you could ignore the background of the topic and ask questions such as these. Your call.
But speaking as someone who has seen this issue go round and round for decades, I strongly recommend the option that involves study first.
In my opinion, you will find the result of doing that more productive than rehashing the same old arguments again and again and again and again...
Either way, good luck.
Welcome to FR. This is the wrong target to pick for your first post.......pun intended.
Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
See, if you do try any of those activities, then you'll find out who's armed.
Jan. 27, 2005, 3:58PM
Metro board OKs concealed guns on buses, trains
Riders with permits will be allowed to carry concealed handguns on board
By ROMA KHANNA
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
A showdown about the right to carry concealed handguns on Metro trains and buses had a peaceful ending today.
• 1996: Texas' handgun law takes effect, allowing licensed owners to carry weapons in many public places as long as they remain concealed. The law prompted restrictions on carrying them in places such as county parks and on public transportation.
• 1997: Mayoral candidate Rob Mosbacher proposes rescinding Metro's ban. His opponent Lee Brown calls the idea "frightening."
• 2003: Gov. Rick Perry signs into a law a bill that strips local governments of the ability to ban legally concealed weapons from their buildings, such at city hall and police stations. The Texas State Rifle Association and several licensed gun owners, including Land Commission Jerry Patterson, sue Metro seeking to strike down their ban.
• 2005: Metro is poised to repeal its ban on concealed handguns.
• Future: Patterson intends to fight similar bans in other Texas cities.Metro's board unanimously approved the policy change this afternoon without discussion. It removes a section of a 1995 regulation that stated no exception to the authority's weapons ban was provided for concealed-handgun license holders. The new rule prohibits ``the possession of dangerous weapons'' and ``the unlawful carrying of a concealed handgun in or on Metro facilities or vehicles.''
According to Metro attorneys, the old policy was valid until the Legislature passed the 2003 law banning governmental bodies from prohibiting the lawful carrying of concealed weapons on government property unless those locations are specifically mentioned in the law. Transit vehicles and facilities are not among those locations exempted from the concealed-carry law.
``Metro's resolution must be amended so that there are no conflicts with existing law,'' said director George DeMontrond. ``This would bring us into compliance.''
Though proponents of the change claimed a philosophical victory, the policy change is not likely to have any practical effect. Tom Lambert, Metro police chief, said there was never an incident involving a concealed-carry permit holder since 1995, though transit police have made some arrests of unlicensed individuals carrying weapons. Any permit holder exposing a gun on Metro vehicles or any unlicensed person observed with a weapon will continue to face arrest, Lambert said.
State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who wrote the legislation as a state senator, has been a vocal critic of bans such as those adopted by Metro and many other government entities in Texas in response to the "right-to-carry" law.
He, the Texas State Rifle Association and four licensed Harris County gun owners sued Metro in 2003, seeking to overturn the ban. Now that Metro is dropping its policy, he said, he plans to challenge similar restrictions in other cities, probably starting with Austin's Capital Metro.
"They implemented these when there was collective hysteria from detractors, who said there would be blood in the streets and shootouts at every four-way stop," Patterson said. "None of that proved true."
Though he and his fellow plaintiffs hailed Metro's move as a victory, all parties involved agreed that the practical effects on riders will be few.
Metro spokesman Ken Connaughton said transit officials don't expect any actual changes for riders.
Patterson said the ban was essentially unenforceable and that many Metro riders already carry pistols.
"It was a prohibition against undetectable conduct because, by law, it is required for it to be concealed, to begin with," he said. "I have carried my handgun on Metro buses on at least three occasions because I knew it to be an unlawful restriction."
Mixed feelings
Some riders waiting at stops along the light rail line Wednesday expressed concerns about the change.
"I have seen arguments on buses, and this means that someone could be in the position to pull out their gun," said Terry Mulhern, 50, a frequent rider on the rail. "It could get very dangerous."
But Thomas Martin, a 34-year-old electrician, called the change a simple formality.
"There is nothing stopping someone from carrying a handgun onto a bus or train now — not a metal detector or even someone watching," he said. "And I don't see a problem."
Metro is one of many government agencies that adopted such bans, from the Texas Department of Public Safety to municipalities across the state, after lawmakers approved the "concealed carry" gun law in 1995. The law allowed businesses to ban weapons and local governments to restrict their presence from some public facilities, such as schools and courtrooms.
Metro adopted its ban in September 1995. Officials acknowledged that they might not be able to charge violators with a crime, but said they wanted to send a message to riders that guns were not welcome on Metro vehicles.
Connaughton said he did not know whether anyone had ever been told to leave a Metro train or bus for carrying a concealed handgun.
Similar bans were adopted in Austin and San Antonio, among other cities.
Dallas operates the largest transportation system in Texas without such a ban. A spokesman for Dallas Area Rapid Transit said board members chose not to adopt one because they believed it would be illegal.
The Legislature has made changes in the handgun law during the years. The most significant adjustment came in 2003, when local governments lost the ability to ban legally concealed weapons from their buildings.
Gov. Rick Perry signed into law a bill that barred local governments from using state criminal-trespass laws to keep licensed concealed-handgun owners from entering government buildings or offices such as city halls or council members' offices.
Metro cited that law as the impetus for reviewing its policy, although the transit authority never relied on trespass laws to enforce its ban.
Applies only to handguns
The resolution on the board's agenda today would reduce the current prohibition on "the possession of handguns and other dangerous weapons" to a ban on "the possession of dangerous weapons" and the "unlawful carrying of a concealed handgun." Under the new policy, a concealed handgun will not be considered a "dangerous weapon."
James Knouse, 53, and his wife, Mary Ann, two of the four Harris County licensed gun owners who joined the lawsuit, welcomed the change.
Mary Ann Knouse, 51, uses a wheelchair and her husband walks with a cane. They said they did not ride Metro vehicles after the ban for fear that they would be targets.
"It is a dangerous world we live in, and they wanted to stop us from carrying our guns," James Knouse said. "We don't use Metro at all because of their policy, but we might now."
In addition to taking on transportation agencies, Patterson said he will challenge other local governments' restrictions. One possible target, he said, is the requirement that people who lawfully carry handguns into Houston City Hall wear red badges.
"Some folks ask me why I'm doing this," Patterson said. "The answer is, I'll quit when local governments quit ignoring the law."
Thats because you are British, and come from a culture of Sheep, you are bred to obey and have no means of protection.
Crime is rampant in England and getting worse.
I think if you track the Crime rate in Houston for a year or two you might feel more comfortable around Honest Law abiding Folk who happen to be "Strapped"
Especially when one of them "Gut Shoots a Mugger attacking you"
It's the American way!
Unfortunately not all people are so mindful of others opinions.
This is TEXAS, where self-defense IS LEGAL.
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