Nebraska concealed carry question -

[Jim NE]

Okay, here's a question: It's my understanding that I can carry my gun (concealed, with permit) into any business that doesn't have a "no guns allowed" sign on the door. It's also my understanding that I can never carry my gun into a bank, permit or not. (Federal offense, I think?)

Here's the problem - I walk into a sizable grocery store and there inside the front door about 20 feet is one of those small micro bank branches that we sometimes have in grocery stores. They usually have two or three tellers. Other states have them, too, I'm guessing.

There's no sign on the grocery store saying "no guns", but the teller booths are open to the public so that if I just walk by, I can be within 7 or 8 feet of the tellers. Basically hard to tell where the grocery store stops and the bank starts, legally speaking.

What's the legality of this? Am I wrong about not being allowed to carry a gun into a bank in Nebraska? Can any Nebraska concealed carry people help me out? Seems like an ambiguous situation.

 

[TRX]

To my knowledge there is no Federal restriction against carrying a gun into banks in general. However, a Federal Reserve Bank or banking offices would be considered Federal buildings and the "no weapons" Federal law against weapons in Federal buildings would apply.

 

[Davek1977]

Banks are NOT considered federal buildings, and there is no law universally banning carry in them. State laws may be different, but there is no blanket ban on bank carry at the federal level. Bank offices are NOT considered "federal buildings" from my research, but if anyone has proof the contrary, I'd be happy to be corrected. I've carried in banks many times without issue. However, I am in SD, and I'm not familiar with NE's laws regarding bank carry. What I do know is that,at the federal level, there is no prohibition against bank carry. I mean, to me, it just wouldn't make sense. We have some states that issue "for cause" concealed carry permits. One of the determining factors in some places is that the permittee handles large deposits. Where do those deposits go? The bank!

 

[mgkdrgn]

nothing illegal about carry into a bank, at least not on a federal level.

 

[Red Wind]

Only 2 states prohibit bank carry. Montana and Nebraska.

Places Off
Limits Even With A Permit/License

A permit
holder may carry a concealed handgun anywhere in Nebraska,
Except A
Police, Sheriff,
or Nebraska State Patrol station or office

Detention facility, prison, or jail

Courtroom or building which contains a courtroom

Polling place during a bona fide election

Meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or
other political
subdivision

Meeting of the Legislature or a Committee of the Legislature

Financial Institution

[/QUOTE]

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/nebraska.pdf

 

[dcloco]

May not carry in a "financial institution" in Nebraska.

The "bank" in a mall, etc...does not count, as long as you don't enter the specific area they are located in.

www.handgunlaw.us will be your new friend.

 

[Red Wind]

www.handgunlaw.us will be your new friend.

True.

 

[mljdeckard]

The bank thing comes up every once in a while. They are not federal buildings, they are not places where federal employees regularly work. Recently a bank manager tried to ban OC there because they were FDIC insured. We informed him that doesn't make a bank a federal building any more than having a house with federal flood insurance makes THAT a federal building.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

This has been discussed before at length on the Nebraska Firearms Owner Association website. In essence it is not clear if a grocery store containing a bank branch is considered a financial institution as defined by Nebraska law. It appears that if a prosecutor felt that a grocery store building did meet that definition in a case where a permit holder were charged with violating the act you would become a test case. Personally when I'm in one of these stores I simply keep my distance from the bank's area.

 

[Jim NE]

Definitely, I appreciate the input from everyone on this. And appreciate the reference to the NE FAO site. And the handgunlaw site.

It's a pretty ambiguous scenario. I mean, at this store, you walk right in the front and , wham, there's the bank. I can avoid that particular grocery store, I guess, but many larger grocery stores have banks. And I don't believe there's usually any indication on the exterior of the stores that a bank is inside (that's conspicuous). If there's not a "no guns" sign on the door, it's almost a trap - I mean, theoretically. Never heard of anyone being caught or arrested due to it.

It's a little bit like the proposed "no guns within 1000 feet of a school" laws (which have never passed, to the best of my knowledge.) If you're driving lost through an unfamiliar neighborhood, and you turn a corner and there, 200 feet in front of you, is a school - you're suddenly in violation of a law through no fault of your own.