Lt Governor

[bbhack]

What's up the the Lt Governor asking the AG for an opinion regarding black letter law?

[The Annoyed Man]

Link to story?

[oljames3]

Link to story?

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/12/ ... -churches/
https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/2017/12/0 ... -churches/

[oljames3]

What's up the the Lt Governor asking the AG for an opinion regarding black letter law?

Link to Dan Patrick's letter to the Ken Paxton.
https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/wp-conten ... 2-1-17.pdf

[The Annoyed Man]

Sounds to me like he’s trying to encourage churches to take advantage of the law. There are probably a lot of churches that either (A) aren’t sure what the change to the law means for them, or (B) a lot of churches are getting a false explanation of the law from the security companies they were employing prior to the law’s passage. My church has taken lately (for the first time) to employing an armed security guard during the Sunday Evening service. The two morning services they don’t do that because we have a security team made up of off-duty LEOs at those services. I can think of at least 3 other people besides myself who hold LTCs right off the top of my head, who are not off-duty LEOs, and who would be happy to provide evening service security, and save the church some money.

Why is this letter of clarification a problem?

[SewTexas]

What's up the the Lt Governor asking the AG for an opinion regarding black letter law?

it's possible that he's just trying to get more people to see that this law passed. He may be hearing people say that "security teams are illegal" and he may be getting tired of saying "hey, we passed this law". So, this is one way of getting publicity for the new law.

[bblhd672]

What's up the the Lt Governor asking the AG for an opinion regarding black letter law?

Seems pretty clear why the Lt. Gov is asking the AG for the opinion: get the word out to Texans who aren't keeping up with the law.

However, I believe our state laws provide more protections than many Texans realize.

[RoyGBiv]

Sounds to me like he’s trying to encourage churches to take advantage of the law. There are probably a lot of churches that either (A) aren’t sure what the change to the law means for them, or (B) a lot of churches are getting a false explanation of the law from the security companies they were employing prior to the law’s passage.

This was my read as well...

[bbhack]

Why is this letter of clarification a problem?

I sort of read it as "until AG opines, maybe we should not carry in church".

I guess that was the wrong way to take it. I had no reason to believe he would do something stupid. But even this will be twisted.

[bbhack]

Sounds to me like he’s trying to encourage churches to take advantage of the law. There are probably a lot of churches that either (A) aren’t sure what the change to the law means for them, or (B) a lot of churches are getting a false explanation of the law from the security companies they were employing prior to the law’s passage.

This was my read as well...

It is black letter law. He could have cited it, instead of making it seem that we cannot understand anything unless the smart ones interpret it for us.

[Pawpaw]

Sounds to me like he’s trying to encourage churches to take advantage of the law. There are probably a lot of churches that either (A) aren’t sure what the change to the law means for them, or (B) a lot of churches are getting a false explanation of the law from the security companies they were employing prior to the law’s passage.

This was my read as well...

It is black letter law. He could have cited it, instead of making it seem that we cannot understand anything unless the smart ones interpret it for us.

Maybe it wasn't to us, but instead to the Dimocrats.

[ScottDLS]

Sounds to me like he’s trying to encourage churches to take advantage of the law. There are probably a lot of churches that either (A) aren’t sure what the change to the law means for them, or (B) a lot of churches are getting a false explanation of the law from the security companies they were employing prior to the law’s passage.

This was my read as well...

It is black letter law. He could have cited it, instead of making it seem that we cannot understand anything unless the smart ones interpret it for us.

[crazy2medic]

Over the past month I have taken up providing an armed presence in a local church, the preacher wants to get his LTC, the associate preacher is a LEO but isn't always there and has other duties during service. I sit close to the back door and my only task is to watch the entrance to the church!
My understanding is this is perfectly legal ? Right?

[The Annoyed Man]

Why is this letter of clarification a problem?

I sort of read it as "until AG opines, maybe we should not carry in church".

I guess that was the wrong way to take it. I had no reason to believe he would do something stupid. But even this will be twisted.

We’ve been able to carry in Church for a long time now. There would have been no reason to seek the clarification on that. The only real confusion in recent times was people who didn’t know, being concerned about whether or not they would be able to open carry in church, and 30.07 pretty much covered all of that.

[ELB]

AG Paxton Issues Opinion on Guns and Security Teams in Texas Churches

AG Paxton Issues Opinion on Guns and Security Teams in Texas Churches
Thursday, December 21, 2017 – Austin


Licensed handgun owners can legally carry loaded weapons into Texas churches that do not have posted signs banning weapons, Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a legal opinion released today. The opinion also clarified that a new law passed this year by the Legislature exempts churches from state fees for creating volunteer security teams.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick requested the opinion on December 1, and asked Attorney General Paxton to expedite his responses “so that churches may know what legal options they have to improve security” in the aftermath of the Sutherland Springs tragedy.

“If a church decides to exclude the concealed or open carrying of handguns on the premises of church property, it may provide the requisite notice, thereby making it an offense for a license holder to carry a handgun on those premises,” Attorney General Paxton wrote in his opinion. “However, churches may instead decide not to provide notice and to allow the carrying of handguns on their premises. Unless a church provides effective oral or written notice prohibiting the carrying of handguns on its property, a license holder may carry a handgun onto the premises of church property as the law allows.”

Senate Bill 2065, which took effect September 1, exempts churches from state fees private institutions must pay to form their own security forces. The lesiglature ended the fees because they imposed a significant financial burden on smaller churches, such as the one in Sutherland Springs where 26 people were killed last month in Texas’ worst mass shooting.

“The regulations of the Private Security Act, including the fees required thereunder, do not apply to Texas churches when providing volunteer security services consistent with the requirements of section 1702.333 of the Occupations Code,” Attorney General Paxton concluded.

Actual opinion: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/fi ... P-0176.pdf