Texas Lawmakers Clarify Church Carry Law

[puma guy]

Some Texas legislators want to make it clearer in state law that licensed handgun holders can carry weapons in churches, synagogues and other houses of worship, nearly a year and a half after a gunman killed 26 people at a small-town Texas church during a Sunday service.

https://bearingarms.com/tom-k/2019/05/0 ... -carry-law

Dang! I saw Charles C. earlier today and I would have asked him about the bill if I'd known. Normally I get to pick his brain on bills at our 1st Friday monthly breakfast, but I have to miss tomorrow. Glad they're trying to do something positive this session.

[bblhd672]

This is Senate Bill 535: Passed by Senate to Amend TX Penal Code 46.035
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Hi ... Bill=SB535

Companion House Bill: Reported favorable in Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Hi ... ill=HB1231

[Bitter Clinger]

Might have need of it sooner than expected:

Shocking video of children in Philadelphia Muslim Society: 'We will chop off their heads' for Allah

https://www.foxnews.com/us/video-philad ... y-children

[Liberty]

I thought the law was pretty clear already. Sounds like some feel good legislation, to fix something that isn't broke.

Has there been a problem?

[E10]

Spent the last two days in Philadelphia, this morning at a Shabbat service which featured the welcoming and naming of our new grandson. I think I was probably the only armed congregant, and I spent most of the service scanning the two entrances to the sanctuary for untoward activity. No trouble, but somewhat surprised that there seemed to be no one concerned with security and safety.
We were headed to the airport immediately after the service, and stowed our luggage in a corner near an entrance. No one took any notice at all, as far as I could tell. All this only six months after the shooting at a synagogue just across the state in Pittsburgh.

[Tex1961]

Spent the last two days in Philadelphia, this morning at a Shabbat service which featured the welcoming and naming of our new grandson. I think I was probably the only armed congregant, and I spent most of the service scanning the two entrances to the sanctuary for untoward activity. No trouble, but somewhat surprised that there seemed to be no one concerned with security and safety.
We were headed to the airport immediately after the service, and stowed our luggage in a corner near an entrance. No one took any notice at all, as far as I could tell. All this only six months after the shooting at a synagogue just across the state in Pittsburgh.

Unfortunately what you posted is probably all to common and normal.... I'll make the preface short, but I am now the President of our church counsel and between myself, our Elder, our Pastor and quite a few other members wer'e pretty armed during service... Anyway... Where I'm going with this is that becoming part of the inner workings of the church I've learned there are two kingdoms... The left hand kingdom and the right hand kingdom..... The right hand is of God, whereas the left hand kingdom is of Man... As a member of the church counsel we concentrate on the day to day running of the church... Pay the bills, etc, etc.... So for us Church security and those types of matters are up front for us.... So back to what you were saying.. I think most people are focused on the right hand Kingdom, and as such put to much faith in God to keep them safe... (Please don't get me wrong, I am 100% agreed on faith in God), But they forget the kingdom of man... And man is sinful... Born sinful, and will die sinful.... And is capable of terrible evil.... And not to forget that the Devil lives among us and wants us to commit evil doings.... We must do more to wake up the Church, wake up the faithful and to remind them that evil lives amongst us everywhere, every day.....

I'm glad you posted your observations.. I think they were spot on.....

[twomillenium]

This bill is nothing to jump up and down for, it just repeats what is already law.

[jmorris]

I thought the law was pretty clear already. Sounds like some feel good legislation, to fix something that isn't broke.

Has there been a problem?

I still occasionally run into license holders who think you can't carry into church, either because (i) was not properly explained to them* or they've forgotten it. In conversations with one of the elders of our church he mentioned being told by a local police detective that the church didn't have to post because carry in churches was prohibit.

*At the instructor class, the slides that DPS uses on this are ...inadequate... The state something like "Carry in church is prohibited" and then in smaller print below "must be posted in accordance with PC30". After the instructor covered that I heard someone behind me ask his neighbor "so you still can't carry in church?"

[crazy2medic]

The one time I heard "God will protect us" my reply was God said "A wise man sees trouble and avoids it, a fool continues on and suffers for it" the look I got was priceless!

[KC5AV]

I thought the law was pretty clear already. Sounds like some feel good legislation, to fix something that isn't broke.

Has there been a problem?

I still occasionally run into license holders who think you can't carry into church, either because (i) was not properly explained to them* or they've forgotten it. In conversations with one of the elders of our church he mentioned being told by a local police detective that the church didn't have to post because carry in churches was prohibit.

*At the instructor class, the slides that DPS uses on this are ...inadequate... The state something like "Carry in church is prohibited" and then in smaller print below "must be posted in accordance with PC30". After the instructor covered that I heard someone behind me ask his neighbor "so you still can't carry in church?"

The problem with those slides is that they have to get by the legal department.

[baytownb]

I guess it's good to clarify or reinforce, but what they should really have been doing is clarifying the "premises" issue in public buildings. Several county buildings are still illegally posting 30.06 and 30.07 signs. And the AG won't do anything until the Austin case runs through appeals and neither will the courthouses until they are forced to. Until then the county officials will keep violating the law and lying about what they are doing. I didn't see anything on that did anyone file a bill to clarify that?