TexasCHLforum.com

I am the FSO for a MTSA regulated facility. I can tell you that what you were told may or may not be correct. If your parking area is inside the secure area of the facility, then yes he was correct that you may not store a firearm in the vehicle. If your employee parking lot is outside of the secure area, then you may have a firearm locked inside your vehicle if you hold a CHL and you are a direct employee of the facility owner (not a contractor).

The USCG is the primary agency regulating the security of MTSA facilities (if you need a TWIC, your MTSA). They do not require Facility Security plans that address firearms outside of the secure area.

BTW, for a parking lot to be considered part of the secure area, it must pass all three prongs of the following three pronged test:
1) Must physically contain the plant (no fence or road in between the parking lot and your plant)
2) Must not be open to the public
3) Must be continuously monitored by security personnel

I have been working with a USCG commander on this issue and he has promised further guidance, but for now he agrees with my assessment of the USCG regulations vs the new law as stated here. The USCG is not interested in regulating our facility outside of the secure area and putting us as an employer at odds with state employment laws.