Though members of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate may carry legally concealed handguns into the legislature, spectators watching from the seating galleries above the floors are no longer permitted to do so.
Signs citing a section of the Texas Penal Code dealing with concealed handgun licenses were posted recently next to the metal detectors around the entrance to the House and Senate galleries. Though guns are currently banned from the galleries of the House and Senate, the House Committee on Public Safety recently passed a bill that would allow citizens to carry concealed handguns on college campuses.
State troopers outside the galleries stop people with concealed weapons from entering. Tela Mange, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety, said the signs were posted at the request of the House and Senate, but she was unsure how long ago they were placed there.
“People can legally carry concealed handguns anywhere in the Capitol they want as long as there are no signs posted,” Mange said.
The concealed carry on campus bill was authored by state Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, who could not be reached for comment.
Marsha McCartney, president of the North Texas Brady Campaign, saw a problem with the inconsistency between the bill and the signs.
“It’s interesting that they want guns in the classrooms but Texans can no longer carry into the gallery of the House or Senate,” McCartney said. “It’s very curious they decided to hang these signs after all these years, and I’m not sure what prompted it.”
Biology sophomore Joseph Boudreau, UT representative for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, said the organization is not concerned with obtaining concealed-carry rights anywhere except on college campuses.
“We just think that college students right now are being deprived of their rights to self-defense on campus,” Boudreau said.
In order to receive a concealed handgun license, citizens must be at least 21 years old, qualify to carry a handgun under federal and state laws and complete the required training.
Boudreau said it has been proven that concealed handgun license holders are among the most law-abiding citizens in the country.
State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, strongly opposes Driver’s concealed-carry bill.
“Every professional in the field has said it is a bad idea,” Burnam said. “Professors have said they don’t want to issue F’s or D’s to student who may be carrying concealed weapons.”
Though the Legislature prevents citizens from entering the galleries with concealed weapons, Burnam said several of his colleagues carry guns onto the floor of the Legislature.
“I would rather not talk about the hypocrisy of my colleagues,” Burnam said.
