Edited

[Coy Greer]

Edited

[AJSully421]

If you talked to the TRWD folks and were told not to carry, and reported that to the OAG with the name and contact info of the people that you talked to, that should be enough. They might need to know things like the date and time that you were denied entry, or verbally informed carry was forbidden. If they need info from you, they will call or send a letter.

I think that you did what you needed to do.

The Tarrant Regional Water District is certainly a political subdivision of the state; they cannot ban carry. The OAG will get them straightened out.

[One Shot]

There should be a law against intimidation or threat of arrest by a public official providing knowingly false information.

[ELB]

If you talked to the TRWD folks and were told not to carry, and reported that to the OAG with the name and contact info of the people that you talked to, that should be enough. ...

Well, maybe not. The law requires a citizen to first make a written complaint to the entity that is trying to improperly deny licensed carry. The entity gets three days to comply, and if they don't THEN make a complaint to the AG.

SB 273 here:
http://www.houstontx.gov/police/open_carry/SB%20273.pdf

Mr. Cotton's suggest complaint formats here:
https://www.texasfirearmscoalition.com/ ... aint-forms

I dunno, the AG may run with it anyway, maybe make a call to the folks doing wrong to see if it can be resolved informally. But to go after them in court, I think he will need the correct paper trail, which starts with written complaint from citizen to the offending entity.

[TexasJohnBoy]

Similar thread/opinion here http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=84265

I'd agree that a paper trail will be better in the long run than just verbal communications.

[AJSully421]

If you talked to the TRWD folks and were told not to carry, and reported that to the OAG with the name and contact info of the people that you talked to, that should be enough. ...

Well, maybe not. The law requires a citizen to first make a written complaint to the entity that is trying to improperly deny licensed carry. The entity gets three days to comply, and if they don't THEN make a complaint to the AG.

SB 273 here:
http://www.houstontx.gov/police/open_carry/SB%20273.pdf

Mr. Cotton's suggest complaint formats here:
https://www.texasfirearmscoalition.com/ ... aint-forms

I dunno, the AG may run with it anyway, maybe make a call to the folks doing wrong to see if it can be resolved informally. But to go after them in court, I think he will need the correct paper trail, which starts with written complaint from citizen to the offending entity.

Yeah, you are right about that...

However, I just went back and read section (d) of the quoted text of HB 273... it says that written notice is required for a sign, it never specifically includes the phrase "Notice by a communication described by 30.06" which we all know can include verbal notice. Might be a oversight... might be a loophole that does not require written complaint notice for a verbal notification from the offending agency... ? One thing is for sure, verbal notification is verboten.

I am sure that they OAG will be contacting the OP for more information if there is anything that is not right with his complaint. If not, you might contact the 30.06 complaint hotline (yes, there is such a thing) at: 1-844-584-3006 and ask specifically about that written notification requirement language if it is a verbal ban. I know that when I complained against my town, I had to prove that my complaint letter to the city was received no less than three business days prior to my complaint being filed with the OAG... but mine was for a posted sign.

Good luck, we will have to fight these folks forever I am afraid... but at least we now have a tool to fight with.

[txcharvel]

Something very, VERY, important that we all need to remember is proper notice. A sign stating no firearms DOES NOT mean you may not concealed carry or even open carry. If I see a sign like this, I don't even give it any thought. I go along and mind my own business.

Seeing a sign like this and asking someone if their no firearms sign pertains to concealed carry is only asking for trouble. In this case, it appears that the park is owned by a government entity so they may not ban concealed or open carry. If they were a privately owned entity, you may have opened a can of worms that ends up with the owner putting up proper 30.06 or 30.07 signs.

If they are a private or even a government entity, they can still put up a no firearms sign. They can even put up a sign that says no handguns, no assault rifles, or weapons considered scary...but if they don't have a proper 30.06 or 30.07 sign, it really means nothing if you're licensed to carry.

In this case, I would bet that the original intention for the no firearms sign was to keep hunters or recreational shooters out of the park.

[NotRPB]

My first thought. oh it must be "Controlling Authority"= "Army Corps of Engineers" Near Fort Worth but ...

Nope
Looks like Tarrant Regional Water District controls FOUR reservoirs
http://www.trwd.com

Eagle mountain Lake Park
http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/rec ... ndex.phtml

Reservoir Controlling Authority
TRWD
Tarrant Regional Water District
10201 North Shore Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76135
(817) 237-8585
http://www.trwd.com

If lake is ACOE Army Corps controlled, then it is their rules, but this is not ACOE...

. The park has no 30.06 signs, just a general no firearms sign and verbal notice/threats of being arrested if you carry with a CHL. So, whats next?

Then it sounds like there's no sign applicable to licensees either

first make a written complaint to the entity that is trying to improperly deny licensed carry.

Years ago I wrote to Texas Parks Wildlife Department, Carter Smith and got a reply in favor of Gun Rights in State Parks,
Carter Smith serves as the executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), a position he has held since January 2008
TPWD is Headquarters Location
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Director

Carter Smith
Executive Director
(512) 389-4802
(512) 389-4814 Fax

first make a written complaint to the entity that is trying to improperly deny licensed carry.

Your controlling Authority is

Reservoir Controlling Authority

Tarrant Regional Water District
10201 North Shore Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76135
(817) 237-8585
http://www.trwd.com

Board of Directors http://www.trwd.com/bod

Summary: Chapter 25 of the Parks and Wildlife Code does not authorize a river authority to adopt regulations that prohibit the open carry of handguns on river authority parklands.

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/op ... n-opinions

I'd address to them all, so each board member knows Carter Smith at TPWD got a copy.... and Attorney General if that's the procedure (I haven't looked yet)...

[goose]

Something very, VERY, important that we all need to remember is proper notice. A sign stating no firearms DOES NOT mean you may not concealed carry or even open carry. If I see a sign like this, I don't even give it any thought. I go along and mind my own business.

Seeing a sign like this and asking someone if their no firearms sign pertains to concealed carry is only asking for trouble. In this case, it appears that the park is owned by a government entity so they may not ban concealed or open carry. If they were a privately owned entity, you may have opened a can of worms that ends up with the owner putting up proper 30.06 or 30.07 signs.

If they are a private or even a government entity, they can still put up a no firearms sign. They can even put up a sign that says no handguns, no assault rifles, or weapons considered scary...but if they don't have a proper 30.06 or 30.07 sign, it really means nothing if you're licensed to carry.

In this case, I would bet that the original intention for the no firearms sign was to keep hunters or recreational shooters out of the park.

The only part of this I have a problem with? A government and its employees left unchecked goes where? No one was talking about a private entity. Calling out a park ranger (or any government employee with the appearance of authority) for spouting their own views as law is exactly what we should be doing. OP was spot on to report them.

[Soccerdad1995]

Does the person the OP originally spoke with have arrest powers? If not, then they had no business speculating on what a LEO might decide to do. Her saying that "you will be arrested" is a baseless threat and is purely meant to intimidate. The OP should have responded by telling her that she will be arrested for making terroristic threats. He has just as much arrest power as this ignorant woman (giving her a huge benefit of the doubt that she is just ignorant).