TexasCHLforum.com

GrillKing wrote:I just hate to see these prisons make their own rules, the Plano ISD post 30.06 signs (I think we mostly agree they are non-binding, but may result in a free ride in a patrol car), the city I live in have an ordinance against CHL carry in any city owned building, etc. I am law abiding and I expect these government agencies (who, by the way, work for me. I don't work for them) to live by the law as well.

In 2001 my wife was working on her masters to become a principal. Her School Law class had a discussion about guns on campus. She had just finished her CHL class and brought up the "premises" defintion. The professor and several know-it-alls, mostly people who were already school administrators, told her she was wrong and thought she was crazy. The next week she brought the Texas CHL handbook the DPS sends out and showed the class. Her professor was not particularly happy to be proved wrong and moved on to a new topic. Most of the class said "it violated their school policies" and they would not be willing to go through the hastle to put it to the test. I am curious if any of their opinons have changed since then.

[quote="Right2Carry

Sounds like a good experiance, but I don't think we are required to notify a Prison Gaurd that we have a CHL or that we are carrying. I don't think they qualify as a LEO, which to my understanding is the only entity we must disclose to. It appears that their own rules state I can lock it up in the vehicle in a secured compartment before entering.

One has to wonder how they would react to finding a gun in your trunk when they search it.[/quote]

One thing to keep in mind, you may not have to "legally" disclose you're carrying to a CO, but they are not required to let you on the unit. If you are visting an inmate, it is a good way to get removed from the visitation list. Although you may not "legally" have to inform a CO you are carrying, it would be prudent to do so. I personally think "securing" your firearm in a trunk, compartment, etc., is a pretty small accomodation to make at a prison. Understandably, prison staff are concerned with the security of their units and their employees. Although the law does not "require" it now, I personally would not mind seeing the law ammended to require securing your firearms at a prison.

Most CO's would be pretty calm finding a gun in your trunk, as long as it was not a surprise. Quite a few CO's and staff are CHL holders. I asked a friend who still works there, and employees are also allowed to have firearms in their vehicles as long as they are "secured".

I found this link on the TDCJ website dated November 2002.

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/publication ... tation.PDF

page 11 basically says a CHL holder does not trespass on TDCJ property, if the handgun is secured in a lock vehicle, i.e. trunk, locked compartment. I am curious if this policy has been updated since the "car carry" law was enacted last September.

I used to work for TDC, and still live about 15 miles from one of the units. When I worked there the housing situation was as jbirds described, employees were allowed to have firearms in the unit housing, but not in the BOQ's. I haven't worked there for about 10 years, but if memory serves me, they implemented a policy of allowing visitors to check firearms in at the Highway Gate because of the number of people carrying firearms after the CHL laws were passed. When LEO's visited, they checked their firearms in at the Radio Picket, they did not leave them in their cars. I have not worked there for 10 years, so I do not know what the current policy is. Even though there is probably a TDCJ policy, it probably is not consistant with state law and probably varies from unit to unit in reality.