Texas CCW laws

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dodge

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ridgerunner from Pa
I'm going to be traveling to Texas over the holidays to visit my daughter and am wondering about the laws as to where I can or can not carry. Although I'm a Pa resident it's my understanding that I can carry in TX with my Pa LCTF. Can anybody help me out wiht this? Thanks in advance.
 
Yes, Texas and Pennsylvania are full reciprocity states so you are legal to carry concealed in Texas with you Pennsylvania license.

The two biggies to watch for are 30.06 signs which must be posted at the entrance to and establishment, and are becoming exceedingly rare these days... and 51% signs which you will find in bars and other drinking establishments.

Other places strictly prohibited without need for a sign sign are: Schools, polling places, court buildings, government offices, professional or school sporting events, the secure area of airports and correctional facilities.

So, pretty much stay out of schools, courts and anywhere with a 30.06 or 51% sign and you will be okay.
 
by the reciprocity map you are fine to carry in texas, has to be concealed, no carry where ther is a 30.06 sign, no pro or school sporting events, no carrying while intoxicated, no at places where they get 51% of income from serving alcohol(marked with sign), no race tracks, no prisons,
 
Here's a useful discussion on the texaschlforum on the issue of signs, complete with pictures. Please note - it's pretty unlikely, thankfully, that you'll actually encounter a valid 30.06 sign (like garlic for vampires). Hospitals are about the only places I can think of where I've seen them personally. Also, www.texas3006.com keeps track of where there are valid (and invalid) signs, if you want to do a little checking ahead of time.

http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=34571
 
All correct but hospitals do not have to display the 30 06 sign. They are one of the places named in the law in which you can never carry.
 
All correct but hospitals do not have to display the 30 06 sign. They are one of the places named in the law in which you can never carry.

Not correct. Hospitals must display a 30.06 sign.

Read Tx PC Sec.46.035(i):

(i) Subsections (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and (c) do not apply if the actor was not given effective notice under Section 30.06.

(b)(4) is the section that covers hospitals.
 
"All correct but hospitals do not have to display the 30 06 sign. They are one of the places named in the law in which you can never carry. "

That is no longer the case. *If* it's a teaching hospital, ie, part of a university, then you cannot carry there just like you can't carry inside buildings of a university campus. But a commercial hospital, without university affiliation, is now required to post 30.06 signs if they want to keep out CHLs under penalty of law.
 
If I recall correctly in my training class...public libraries

You do not remember correctly :)

Libraries are not listed.

Here is the whole thing:

Sec. 46.035. UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN BY LICENSE HOLDER. (a) A license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a handgun on or about the license holder's person under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and intentionally fails to conceal the handgun.
(b) A license holder commits an offense if the license holder intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, on or about the license holder's person:
(1) on the premises of a business that has a permit or license issued under Chapter 25, 28, 32, 69, or 74, Alcoholic Beverage Code, if the business derives 51 percent or more of its income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, as determined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission under Section 104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code;
(2) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, or professional sporting event or interscholastic event is taking place, unless the license holder is a participant in the event and a handgun is used in the event;
(3) on the premises of a correctional facility;
(4) on the premises of a hospital licensed under Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing home licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the license holder has written authorization of the hospital or nursing home administration, as appropriate;
(5) in an amusement park; or
(6) on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other established place of religious worship.
(c) A license holder commits an offense if the license holder intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed, at any meeting of a governmental entity.
(d) A license holder commits an offense if, while intoxicated, the license holder carries a handgun under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of whether the handgun is concealed.
(e) A license holder who is licensed as a security officer under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, and employed as a security officer commits an offense if, while in the course and scope of the security officer's employment, the security officer violates a provision of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.
(f) In this section:
(1) "Amusement park" means a permanent indoor or outdoor facility or park where amusement rides are available for use by the public that is located in a county with a population of more than one million, encompasses at least 75 acres in surface area, is enclosed with access only through controlled entries, is open for operation more than 120 days in each calendar year, and has security guards on the premises at all times. The term does not include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area.
(2) "License holder" means a person licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.
(3) "Premises" means a building or a portion of a building. The term does not include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area.
(g) An offense under Subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed under Subsection (b)(1) or (b)(3), in which event the offense is a felony of the third degree.
(h) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a) that the actor, at the time of the commission of the offense, displayed the handgun under circumstances in which the actor would have been justified in the use of deadly force under Chapter 9.

And then this was added:

Subsections (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and (c) do not apply if the actor was not given effective notice under Section 30.06.
 
Sig220mw - You do not stand alone! I'm there right by you, my friend. That's for the post TexasRifleman. I don't know where I got the misinformation about libraries, but it has now been mentally dumped and replaced with the facts. Thanks! :)
 
What exactly is the legal definition of a hospital for CHL purposes in Tx?

BY Orthopod's office displays a rather odd sign that is not 30.06 compliant by any means (see below), I do not believe he does actual surgeries in the building. It is a doctor owned sports medicine facility, they own the whole building.
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I suspect I could LEGALLY carry in there and disregard the sign, but of course they could always ask me to leave like they could ask anyone to for any reason since it is private property if they were to ever suspect I were. Am I correct?
 
The above may safely be ignored since it doesn't comply with the official version of 30.06 signage. This is just a 'feel good' copy, which is seen often and in many forms. Carries the same (non)import as a circle-slash-gun sign.

No worries, carry freely. If, however, you are 'made', and refuse to leave, you can be arrested for tresspass. Then you have a problem!

Concealed means concealed, so I carry just about everywhere...

Ron in Texas
 
Just as I suspected. Which brings me to a follow up question. What is the legal definition of a "hospital" under Texas CHL law? If they WERE to say, do day surgery here (they don't, I've asked) would it be considered a hospital then? they do Physical Therapy and they have an MRI and a radiology dept. in the building so what would it take for it to be classified as a hospital? from my reading of Chapt. 241 of the Health and Safety code, the key appears to be having two or more beds for patient use for more than 24 hours at a time. So even day surgery would not make it a hospital. Of course having to disrobe for an exam would make it difficult to keep the weapon "concealed".... but I've run into a similar issue with St. Luke's professional building. as far as i am aware there are no patient beds in the building even though the building is connected by a skyway to the main hospital across the street. but the off duty cops doing security insist that it is a "hospital" and guns are not allowed so they don't need a 30.06 sign.
 
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I think it is worth clarifying that it's RED 51% signs you need to heed. There are also blue 51% signs which apply only to unlicensed carry
 
What is the legal definition of a "hospital" under Texas CHL law?

What difference does it make? Hospitals are no longer treated differently than other places. Haven't been in several years. This was explained a few posts above.

From PC46.035 regarding prohibited places:

(4) on the premises of a hospital licensed under Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing home licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the license holder has written authorization of the hospital or nursing home administration, as appropriate;

But then it adds:

(i) Subsections (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and (c) do not apply if the actor was not given effective notice under Section 30.06.

So, hospitals STILL need the 30.06 sign.

but the off duty cops doing security insist that it is a "hospital" and guns are not allowed so they don't need a 30.06 sign.

He is completely wrong about that.
 
Thanks for the reiteration, I misread it the first time around. mea culpa.

No problem. It's dumb the way they wrote it. Leaving it a crime but them putting in the exception. Should have just removed it completely. Guess they get bored in Austin :)
 
In addition to TexasRifleman's excellent explanation above, the only hospitals that you need to be wary of, IIRC, are teaching hospitals that are attached to a university.

They would be prohibited under the "no carry in an educational institution" law that we are working to have changed this year with the "Campus Carry" bill (HB 86). Other than that, no 30.06, carry away!
 
I never noticed the definition of "amusement park" before. It seems like it was written specifically for a one such facility. Anybody know the legislative intent on this?
 
I never noticed the definition of "amusement park" before. It seems like it was written specifically for a one such facility. Anybody know the legislative intent on this?

Yep - Six Flags over Texas (Dallas) and Sea World (San Antonio).
 
quick question, where would one look to find out if a hospital is affiliated with a school? Is there a list somewhere?
 
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