Knife carry in public buildings

[CleverNickname]

I stopped by the downtown Houston library over my lunch break and the HPD officer standing by the door denied me entrance because of the knife clipped in my front pocket. I know the library's 30.06 sign is unenforceable because it's a government owned building not otherwise prohibited from carry, but I wasn't carrying at the time anyways. I don't think there is, but is there any state level knife law preemption like there is for handguns, or is this in fact a legal ban? There's a sign by the entrance which prohibits "illegal carry of weapons" (which I wasn't) but then also prohibits "any object which could be used as a weapon".

And yes I know the easiest thing to do is just put the whole knife in my pocket so the clip doesn't show, but it still me .

[cougartex]

Could it be a Houston City ordinance?

Illegal knife means a knife with a blade over five and one-half inches. (PC46.01 (6))

[A-R]

prohibits "any object which could be used as a weapon".

So I guess your average Kung Fu master can't use the public library because their "hands and feet are registered lethal weapons"

But seriously, that sounds bogus. I'd report this and find out on what grounds the police officer is refusing your entry to a public building.

[seamusTX]

Municipalities can ban anything that is not preempted by state law. Knives are not preempted, even though they are legal under state law.

If you think about it, this is the same legal principle that allows them to ban pets or boomboxes.

- Jim

[Excaliber]

I stopped by the downtown Houston library over my lunch break and the HPD officer standing by the door denied me entrance because of the knife clipped in my front pocket. I know the library's 30.06 sign is unenforceable because it's a government owned building not otherwise prohibited from carry, but I wasn't carrying at the time anyways. I don't think there is, but is there any state level knife law preemption like there is for handguns, or is this in fact a legal ban? There's a sign by the entrance which prohibits "illegal carry of weapons" (which I wasn't) but then also prohibits "any object which could be used as a weapon".

And yes I know the easiest thing to do is just put the whole knife in my pocket so the clip doesn't show, but it still PO's me.

The signage was apparently placed by a woefully ignorant administrator.

I have investigated homicides where the instruments of death were a poodle leash, a bathroom scale, and a listerine bottle. I guarantee that the library is full of potential weapons that would be available even to someone who entered while naked: staplers, metal trash cans, and yes, even books.

However, your best course of action is probably to simply put the knife in your pocket because it's not productive to engage in a battle of wits with persons not so equipped.

[A-R]

it's not productive to engage in a battle of wits with persons not so equipped.

Hope you don't mind, but I'm stealing this line ... with proper attribution of course

[Excaliber]

it's not productive to engage in a battle of wits with persons not so equipped.

Hope you don't mind, but I'm stealing this line ... with proper attribution of course

It's been around for a while and I most certainly didn't invent it, but I'm quite sure that whoever did would be pleased if you adopted and made good use of it in appropriate circumstances.

There seem to be more and more of those opportunities in a country that managed to elect our current president and the majority party members of congress.