TexasCHLforum.com

treadlightly wrote:I couldn't stand it. I called the Brazos County Sheriff's Office and asked if the entire courthouse building was off limits to lawful carry.

The dispatcher who answered the phone said it was. After assuring her I wasn't going to do anything crazy I asked if she knew under what authority the County was allowed to make that ban.

She referred me to the signs on the outside of the courthouse. Otherwise, she didn't know.

That's really a shame to put law enforcement in that position. C'mon, HB560!

cclacy wrote:I’ve been following a case with the Brazos County courthouse which 19 years ago or so posted the entire courthouse building (a 4 story muli-use building with many offices, including county and district clerk offices) with a 30.06 sign. For the last 17-18 years there has been, and still is, a metal detector at the door manned by Brazos county sheriff deputies. One cannot even enter with a small pocket knife.

Here is a link to the Ken Paxton letter from March 30, 2016 saying they are in violation, as well as a ruling letter from Ken Paxton’s office saying the matter is closed because they removed the sign. That letter is from November 10, 2016.

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/fi ... thouse.pdf


I went to the courthouse today. The signs are indeed removed. Now there is a generic sign that says basically “No Weapons Allowed, PC 46.03” I called and spoke with the security department. They said they do not allow anyone with an LTC to enter the building while carrying a handgun. I asked why 30.06 was removed. They said the AG office required it, but allows the generic sign. I reiterated that it’s not a legal sign prohibiting concealed carry by an LTC holder. They again stated that a citizen with an LTC may not enter with his or her firearm. I also confirmed that the county clerk is still located in the building (along with other non court offices).

I then entered the building. Five feet from the inside of the front door is the metal detector. I stopped short of that to speak with a deputy. The polite deputy I spoke with in person told me the exact same thing.


So am I missing something? It seems to me they are pulling a fast one. They removed the sign but still deny access to LTCs at the security screening point at the entrance. I called the AG assistant’s office, and Andrea said I should launch a complaint. I’d love opinions. Should I just call the AG complaint hotline. It seems to me this matter has already been ruled on by the AG, and Brazos county is just pulling a sneaky stunt to act like they are in compliance if an AG investigator stops by to view the entrance and check for a sign (which is now gone).