In May, Senator Deuell (R, A+) made an official request for an AG opinion covering the rights of employees under SB321 (a/k/a "employer parking lot bill"). He did so in response to complaints made by employees about employers trying to assert absurd reasons to ignore the law that went into effect on Sept. 1, 2011.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R, A+) issued his AG Opinion (GA-0972) today and it is great! Employers trample the rights of gun owners at their peril. The entire opinion is attached, but the summary is as follows:
GA-0972 wrote:An employer subject to section 52.061 of the Labor Code may not ban the transport and storage of handguns in locked private vehicles by employees with concealed handgun licenses in employee parking areas by a posting the notice authorized by section 30.06 of the Penal Code.
A federally approved facility security plan under either the Maritime Transportation Security Act or the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards is not federal law that would preempt section 52.061 of the Labor Code.
No statute of which we are aware provides a specific remedy for employees whose employers violate section 52.061. And the Legislature has not authorized this office or any other state agency to take corrective action. Despite the lack of a statutory remedy, an aggrieved employee may, depending upon the circumstances, have the ability to sue the offending employer under the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act.
Thank you Senator Deuell and General Abbott!!
Chas.