County Bans Guns At All County Parks

[stash]

I read in the newspaper this morning that Bastrop County has among other things banned guns at its three county parks. Violations would be a Class C misd. with a fine up to $500.00. No other info was provided re the gun ban such as signage.

[Liberty]

I read in the newspaper this morning that Bastrop County has among other things banned guns at its three county parks. Violations would be a Class C misd. with a fine up to $500.00. No other info was provided re the gun ban such as signage.

Not applicable to LTC holders.

[oljames3]

I read in the newspaper this morning that Bastrop County has among other things banned guns at its three county parks. Violations would be a Class C misd. with a fine up to $500.00. No other info was provided re the gun ban such as signage.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/bas ... GiqI4V8tL/
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/bas ... 5zMxBxLdM/

[JustSomeOldGuy]

Bastrop County commissioners on Monday approved a set of rules and regulations for its parks after residents complained of drug use and scattered litter, and the sheriff’s office requested guidelines to enforce at the public spaces.

Aren't littering and drug use/sales ALREADY illegal in Bastrop County? Need 'Enforcement Guidelines'? Your guidelines are "put somebody in a patrol car and have them drive to the park at the times of day people have complained about and issue citations/make arrests for any observed infractions".

[stash]

Good point OldGuy.

[TreyHouston]

“Residents surrounding Stony Point Park in western Bastrop County pleaded with county officials to keep the park maintained after becoming fed up with the drug dealing, dumping and wild dogs that the park often attracted.”

They are not concerned about guns or people trying to protect themselves from the drug dealers, people on drugs or the wild dogs, but we will go ahead and ban guns while we are at it.
Don’t worry, we might have a cop drive by twice a day, and give the drug dealers, druggies and wild dogs a $500 fine, they will all leave, probably into your neighborhood, but dont worry about that. When we are not there once/twice (driving by) a day, we will put up a sign thats says “Stop this nonsense”

[rotor]

As a LTC carrier this should not make any difference. It would seem that you can not bring a long gun into the parks now. The average person would not have been able to bring a handgun into the park anyway. I personally don't find this to be an unusual ban. By posting the County is on much better legal grounds to fine those that break the law. No fireworks, no glass, dogs on leash, etc., all reasonable prohibitions. Of course things that are already illegal are still illegal. They apparently did not post .06/.07 which would have been illegal.

[Charles L. Cotton]

As a LTC carrier this should not make any difference. It would seem that you can not bring a long gun into the parks now. The average person would not have been able to bring a handgun into the park anyway. I personally don't find this to be an unusual ban. By posting the County is on much better legal grounds to fine those that break the law. No fireworks, no glass, dogs on leash, etc., all reasonable prohibitions. Of course things that are already illegal are still illegal. They apparently did not post .06/.07 which would have been illegal.

Please give us the Code sections that prohibit firearms in county parks. Also, note the Local Gov't Code Section below. Unlike Local Gov't Code Section 229. §236 does not give counties the authority to regulate firearms in county parks.

Chas.

Sec. 236.002. FIREARMS; AIR GUNS; SPORT SHOOTING RANGE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a county may not adopt regulations relating to:

(1) the transfer, private ownership, keeping, transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies; or

(2) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport shooting range.

(b) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state to obtain a temporary or permanent injunction against a county adopting a regulation, other than a regulation under Section 236.003, in violation of this section.

[rotor]

As a LTC carrier this should not make any difference. It would seem that you can not bring a long gun into the parks now. The average person would not have been able to bring a handgun into the park anyway. I personally don't find this to be an unusual ban. By posting the County is on much better legal grounds to fine those that break the law. No fireworks, no glass, dogs on leash, etc., all reasonable prohibitions. Of course things that are already illegal are still illegal. They apparently did not post .06/.07 which would have been illegal.

Please give us the Code sections that prohibit firearms in county parks. Also, note the Local Gov't Code Section below. Unlike Local Gov't Code Section 229. §236 does not give counties the authority to regulate firearms in county parks.

Chas.

Sec. 236.002. FIREARMS; AIR GUNS; SPORT SHOOTING RANGE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a county may not adopt regulations relating to:

(1) the transfer, private ownership, keeping, transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies; or

(2) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport shooting range.

(b) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state to obtain a temporary or permanent injunction against a county adopting a regulation, other than a regulation under Section 236.003, in violation of this section.

Glad I didn't write the rules for the parks. Now, who challenges those rules?

[Charles L. Cotton]

As a LTC carrier this should not make any difference. It would seem that you can not bring a long gun into the parks now. The average person would not have been able to bring a handgun into the park anyway. I personally don't find this to be an unusual ban. By posting the County is on much better legal grounds to fine those that break the law. No fireworks, no glass, dogs on leash, etc., all reasonable prohibitions. Of course things that are already illegal are still illegal. They apparently did not post .06/.07 which would have been illegal.

Please give us the Code sections that prohibit firearms in county parks. Also, note the Local Gov't Code Section below. Unlike Local Gov't Code Section 229. §236 does not give counties the authority to regulate firearms in county parks.

Chas.

Sec. 236.002. FIREARMS; AIR GUNS; SPORT SHOOTING RANGE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a county may not adopt regulations relating to:

(1) the transfer, private ownership, keeping, transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies; or

(2) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport shooting range.

(b) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state to obtain a temporary or permanent injunction against a county adopting a regulation, other than a regulation under Section 236.003, in violation of this section.

Glad I didn't write the rules for the parks. Now, who challenges those rules?

Per the Code, the AG can file suit. I'm checking on something now and it's likely I'll send an Open Records Request to a Bastrop County Judge and get a lot of documents.

Chas.

[Abraham]

Thank you Charles for all your tireless efforts.

It doesn't go unnoticed and is very much appreciated by all of us pro-self defense folks.