Don't know about other states, but under TX law, parking lots are not the "premises" of a retail store or restaurant, so a PC30.06 sign prohibiting concealed carry on the premesis would not affect you in the parking lot. (see Texas Penal Code, section 46.035 (f) (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
Yessir, you are correct.
I was being broad as I couldn't remember the current status on posted parking lots, rare as they may be. I believe employers are not allowed to restrict employees from possessing weapons in their privately owned vehicles in all but a few very specific instances, but was fuzzy on general public parking for retail and whatnot.
I've never seen a posted lot, and in fact have seen only a couple three valid signs on buildings, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there.
Thanks for the clarification.
Id consider a parking lot, land(grass-yard), sidewalks, etc as legally part of a property.
It's interesting that Texas only applies the statue to the building or structure itself.
Yeppers, Texas law does differentiate between "property" and "premises."
Premises are defined as a building or portion of a building, and specifically precludes "public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area." This is from Texas Penal Code 46.035 "UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN BY LICENSE HOLDER."
How this applies to unlicensed vehicle carry under the so called "Motorist Protection Act" that was passed a few years ago, I am uncertain. I'm not going into the whole Federal GFSZA at this point, I'm getting long winded enough here as it is.
Yes, parking lots are still private, as opposed to public, property and you can likely be asked to leave those as well. But it doesn't seem like you would be automatically committing a crime, as opposed to a validly posted building. Again, I am no lawyer and don't pretend to be. This information could likely be found under the general penal code for trespassing.
I'm posting from my phone, which makes these lengthy entries take much longer than they should, so I'm going to cop out on doing the research right now.
Think of it as a lazy man's "give a man a fish" type situation.