List your highest priority issue for 2011

[lrb111]

Well, I'm on the Board of Directors for Students for Concealed Carry, so it's not like my vote was in question. Having said that, this is my rational: Campus carry has a criminal penalty-- you can go to prison simply for wanting to defend yourself.

Do you mean by carrying another wise legal weapon into the buildings? Or are you referring to unlicensed carry? What are you referencing as it applies in Texas law? What specific law do we need to tweak or change in your view?

[The Annoyed Man]

Echo skippr. From a purely selfish prospective, the parking lot bill is more important. Although I am self-employed and not really affected by it, there are many times more workers who are immediately affected by parking lot bans than there are university student/faculty who are affected by them, so "the greater good" has an edge here.

That said, I think that campus carry has potentially more reformative power over the long haul, and so I give it at least equal importance. I can't really in good conscience pick one over the other, so I'll abstain from voting in the poll.

[croc870]

@LRB111--SCCC only a takes a position on one single issue: licensed carry on college campuses. In short, we only support carry on colleges campuses by those with a concealed carry license. As for specific laws, I'd generally say that Penal code 46.03 (a) and (c) needs to be amended to to allow carry by a CHL holder and the Gov Code 411 subsections dealing with CHLs need to have a section added allowing campus carry and preempting public college restrictions. The final decision on what language to use however, would of course come from the bill author.

To be successful, campus carry legislation needs to accomplish two goals: Legalize concealed carry on college campuses by license holders and prohibits public institutions from creating restrictions on concealed carry by license holders. While a bill that only legalizes carry would be a helpful intermediate step, it would not be truly effective without the preemption on collegiate restrictions.

I think it's important to note that the two states that allow concealed carry on campus, Utah and Colorado, both passed general bills establishing concealed carry statewide and preempting other governmental authorities from creating their own restrictions. They did not pass bill specifically targeting colleges. Because of this generalized language in the legislation, both states have had legal action on the matter.

[Pete92FS]

I vote for the Employee Parking Lot issue.

[evilmercer]

I voted parking lot because it will help the most people. Actual "campus carry" would not help me unless it included k-12 which I doubt would ever happen unless full leosa protection was extended to us.

[hirundo82]

Currently, for the most part I can only carry two days a week. I want to be able to carry every day. I want to be protected on my way to and from work.

Ditto for me, which is why campus carry is my top priority.

[kyreb]

Definately the parking lot legislation. My employers policy could have gotten me killed two years ago.

I was sitting at a redlight across from the Galleria at 7:30 one morning. Out of no where, I had a car with four drugged up gang bangers slam into me on my way to work. They got out of the car all hyped up and agitated. They argued, then brawled between themselves, at least one knife was produced. At one point, they were eyeballing me and no doubt discussing hijacking my truck. (their car was totaled.)

I immediately phoned 911 after the wreck, but it took the cops over 35 minutes to show up. All this while I pretty much just had to stand there, unarmed and pretty much helpless should the bad guys have decided to turn their drug induced violence my way.

Before the cops arrived, two ran off (with their dope I suppose) the other two got beligerent with HPD and went to jail. Pretty hairy way to start off a work day to say the least.

I really think if TSRA wants to have the most impact, the parking lot bill will go a lot farther in protecting many more TX gun owners than the college CHL would. I just do not see that many college age kids being motivated enough to get CHL training.

[i8godzilla]

Parking Lot and Campus Carry initiatives have little to no effect on me. My wife and I own the companies we work for and I don't see any additional formal eduction in our future. However, I do believe both are long over due!

I would like to address the parking lot issue. While this is a first step, in allowing employees to store their weapon in the vehicles, it is not 'strong enough'. What about the outside sales person that uses their privately owned automobile to visit clients? Have you ever attended a company lunch, seminar, or other such event that you drove your own car? If the employers policy is no firearms while conducting company business you are screwed. What I believe is really needed is to further define the Castle Doctrine to exclude employers from making policies concerning what I do in my automobile. If my automobile is really part of my Castle, then I should be able to do anything that is legal inside my automobile that I could do at my house. Would an employer be able to tell you that you cannot have weapons at home?

[GrandSporTA]

I voted for campus carry. I am a full time student so this would most likely benefit me. I have been waiting for this bill to pass for 2 years, lets get it done!

[kyreb]

Guys,
I have read a few posts here that cite the "legality" aspects under TX law regarding the parking lot bill. The problem is not one of Texas law....it is the fact the employer can immediately fire an employee who otherwise legally stores a firearm in his vehicle while at work. It is a matter of unfair company policy....not law.

I work for a major oil in Houston. I have no real options but to park in the company parking garage. This garage is subject to having trained dogs brought in. From outside, these dogs can smell out a single .22 short inside a locked vehicle. Once identified, you can subject your vehicle to a complete search, or be fired on the spot for refusing. They find a gun, it is all over anyway.

This situation effects tens of thousands of us state wide. Almost every power plant, chemical plant, refinery, ect....employs these policies as well as their office locations.

The last TSRA magazine listed a figure that less than 600 CHLs currently on TX campuses. Think about it....how many more CHLs are being unfairly unarmed by the parking lot policies?

[Beiruty]

What does it do any goog when a firearm is allowed in a parked car when someone who eas just fired bust in and starr shooting the work place?

[Pawpaw]

What does it do any goog when a firearm is allowed in a parked car when someone who eas just fired bust in and starr shooting the work place?

None, of course. But that's not the problem the EPL issue addressing. It is addressing workers being disarmed between home & work & back again just because of the employer's "no guns in your car" policy.

[RedRaider]

What does it do any goog when a firearm is allowed in a parked car when someone who eas just fired bust in and starr shooting the work place?

You're right, it doesn't do any good in the situation you posted, but I think most people are more concerned with being disarmed on their drive to/from their workplace.

[74novaman]

a lot of people had mentioned that they don't just go straight from home to work and back. Many run errands, meet friends, etc after work. Should they be forced to be disarmed from 5pm until whenever they get home as well?

[Pacific Job]

I still have problems with the EPL bills and private property rights.

Texas is big. I think it's plenty big enough to park somewhere else if some property owner doesn't allow guns.