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My wife & I are going to Austin for a weekend vacation, Friday-Sunday. We'll be staying near the capitol, and we're both looking forward to visiting the capitol & wandering about.

I know that I can carry w. my CHL (and bypass the metal detectors), but are the House & Senate galleries, and/or committee rooms, posted 30.06 or otherwise off limits these days?

Also, I've been calling & emailing the committee members on HB 750 & 681; anything useful I can do for the cause while I'm there? Not sure how realistic it is to go and corner each & every committee member (especially since my wife will probably get restless if I propose spending the whole day stalking the corridors), but am open to ideas.

I beleive they are posted when in session, but not for tours. It's been since 2006 when I last toured the capitol so it might have changed since then.

I go there frequently and to my knowledge you are permitted to carry just about everywhere in the Capital, even the viewing gallery.

Be sure to grab dinner at the South Congress Cafe.

RHenriksen wrote:My wife & I are going to Austin for a weekend vacation, Friday-Sunday. We'll be staying near the capitol, and we're both looking forward to visiting the capitol & wandering about.

I know that I can carry w. my CHL (and bypass the metal detectors), but are the House & Senate galleries, and/or committee rooms, posted 30.06 or otherwise off limits these days?

Also, I've been calling & emailing the committee members on HB 750 & 681; anything useful I can do for the cause while I'm there? Not sure how realistic it is to go and corner each & every committee member (especially since my wife will probably get restless if I propose spending the whole day stalking the corridors), but am open to ideas.

Protect your wife, wallet and sanity. I suggest carrying a pair of earplugs to block out the liberal drivel and the politician's lies.

Just called the Visitor's Center, who transferred me to the DPS office w/in the Capitol. The trooper who answered the phone told me that there are no off-limits areas w/in the capitol, no 30.06 signs, etc. Wow!

a pair of earplugs to block out ...

I think the electronic ear muffs filter out the garbage sounds right?

RHenriksen wrote:Just called the Visitor's Center, who transferred me to the DPS office w/in the Capitol. The trooper who answered the phone told me that there are no off-limits areas w/in the capitol, no 30.06 signs, etc. Wow!

I thought I had heard they were removing all those eye polluting signs

The ONLY placed you cannot go are the actual Senate and House floors, and only when they are in session and only if they're posted. I have carried into both chambers many times, right past DPS. Great experiences. Enjoy!

Thanks, really looking forward to it.

RHenriksen wrote:My wife & I are going to Austin for a weekend vacation, Friday-Sunday. We'll be staying near the capitol, and we're both looking forward to visiting the capitol & wandering about.

I know that I can carry w. my CHL (and bypass the metal detectors), but are the House & Senate galleries, and/or committee rooms, posted 30.06 or otherwise off limits these days?

Also, I've been calling & emailing the committee members on HB 750 & 681; anything useful I can do for the cause while I'm there? Not sure how realistic it is to go and corner each & every committee member (especially since my wife will probably get restless if I propose spending the whole day stalking the corridors), but am open to ideas.

If you've not been to the capitol building before...by all means go. I'd suggest taking a cab (or walking if close enough) because parking can be difficult to find this time of year.

Spend some time downtown and go to a few of the good eating establishments.

Austin may be a liberal bastion...but it is still my favorite among the big cities. I could be a little biased though, since I grew up there.

Hope you have a great time.

Thanks, we're just a 15 minute walk from the capitol, that's going to be our main focus! I was thinking parking might be a challenge.

gigag04 wrote:Be sure to grab dinner at the South Congress Cafe.

WOW. Wow. Just... wow. That was the best meal I've had in a long time, and I am also now a Hero to my foodie wife. Thank you!

Was a very fun afternoon. Got through the CHL line at the capitol w. no problem, the girl @ the information desk hooked me up with maps and a list of offices of the B&I committee members. Since it was already 3:00p on Friday, I had low expectations for finding people in their offices. Did manage to visit with staff for about 6 representatives on the committee, as well as my senator & rep (Gallegos & Sarah Davis).

Sarah Davis' staffer told me that Driver isn't interested in amending his campus carry bill to allow the med center hospital/universities to opt out, and so she's preparing her own version of a campus carry bill that would include such a provision. (!!)