City Council chambers & 30.06

[Barron76]

I know that courts or office of the courts is off limits for CHL but I was wondering if the City Council chambers inside Fort Worth City Hall would be considered a court? They have valid 30.06 signs posted at both entrances but they look like they have been there for many years.

[seamusTX]

Yep. Government meetings, completely in line with the law in this case.

- Jim

[Commander]

This brings up a question - as I understand it, the 30.06 signs would be valid only for Government meetings (c - below). However, unless
there are courts located in the building the 30.06 signs are not valid at other times (e - below). Am I misunderstanding the law?

(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.

(e) It is an exception to the application of this section that the property
on which the license holder cames a handgun is owned or leased
by a governmental entity and is not a premises or other place on which
the license holder is prohibited from carrying the handgun under
Section 46.03 or 46.035.

[atxgun]

This brings up a question - as I understand it, the 30.06 signs would be valid only for Government meetings (c - below). However, unless
there are courts located in the building the 30.06 signs are not valid at other times (e - below). Am I misunderstanding the law?

(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.

(e) It is an exception to the application of this section that the property
on which the license holder cames a handgun is owned or leased
by a governmental entity and is not a premises or other place on which
the license holder is prohibited from carrying the handgun under
Section 46.03 or 46.035.

This brings up another question, where is "a governmental entity" defined? A county political party meeting? A PAC meeting? A group of people talking about politics?

[seamusTX]

It's a meeting of elected or appointed government officials that has a published agenda. Examples would be city council, county commissioners court, zoning board, school board.

This definition is in the Texas Open Meetings Act, Government Code 551.001.

However, there is a very simple rule that I remind people of at every opportunity: If you get caught with a roscoe, and the cops think you need to go to jail, you're going to jail. Then you can pay a lawyer to get the charge dismissed.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

Please tell me the last five cases where people won significant damages for false arrest.

The only cases where significant damages are awarded are ones where someone is injured or killed, or illegal police misconduct occurred (I mean things like faking evidence or lying).

- Jim

[seamusTX]

Yep. The police have quite a bit of discretion to either ignore an offense or arrest everybody and let the DA sort it out.

The Galveston County Sheriff's Department recently implemented a rule that sheriff's deputies have to talk to an assistant DA before arresting someone unless the crime is extremely obvious, but that is not the usual rule.

- Jim

[stevie_d_64]

This brings up another question, where is "a governmental entity" defined? A county political party meeting? A PAC meeting? A group of people talking about politics?

What Jim posted about 551.001 is where you would find the definition(s) you need...

As far as the other catagories you mentioned there...That's your call...

A political party meeting...I carry, just because...

PAC meeting, same reason...

A group of people talking about politics...ditto...

See, you have to understand, the fact that I carry is not based upon a potential situation or condition I might be placed in...I carry because I can, it is a part of my life, I take my self-defense seriously enough to train, equip and know the law to the best of my ability to where the carrying of a firearm for lawful self-defensive purposes has become second nature to me...Do I ignore the restrictions??? Absolutely not...Do I agree with the restrictions and no go zones??? Absolutely not...

If it were widely known how many elected officials I sit down with, or have conversations with knew I was carrying at the time, there might be some that would be shocked...And you know what is really funny...Nothing ever happened (gun-wise, not that the substance of our conversations generated any action on their part... )...

Like I always say...Why should I trust a politician who doesn't trust me with a gun?