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I coach softball and we play In tournaments and I Need clarification on the laws of Carrying concealed on the fields as I coach. Are their different city laws that out weigh state laws that allow us to carry in public/city parks?

Robertof31 wrote:I coach softball and we play In tournaments and I Need clarification on the laws of Carrying concealed on the fields as I coach. Are their different city laws that out weigh state laws that allow us to carry in public/city parks?

If the facility you are playing at is privately owned, then they have every right to ban concealed or open carry on the premises using the appropriate signage.

If the park/facility is owned by a city or other municipality, then they are forbidden from posting unless otherwise allowed by Texas Penal Code 46.03 or 46.035. The Texas Penal Code has preemption over local rules and regulations.

Robertof31 wrote:I coach softball and we play In tournaments and I Need clarification on the laws of Carrying concealed on the fields as I coach. Are their different city laws that out weigh state laws that allow us to carry in public/city parks?

Welcome to the forum Robertof31!

Basically, the answer is, No. The state has preemption, which means that cities may not enact their own laws regarding the carrying of firearms to be more strict than state laws. They may govern the discharge, but not much else. And as Papa-Tiger pointed out, if they are privately owned they may prohibit firearms. However, they must still comply with state law in the manner of how they give notice for it to be illegal or for you to be charged with anything if on their property with a firearm. If proper notice is not given then all they can do is ask you to leave and then if you don't you may be charged. At that point you would have been given oral notification.

All city parks have signs that say no firearms. Those do not apply to someone with a CHL/LTC. Many leagues also have such rules about their coaches and parents of league participants, but I have yet to see any that meet the definition of notice according to 30.06 or 30.07. They may still boot you from the league if discovered.

Robertof31 wrote:I coach softball and we play In tournaments and I Need clarification on the laws of Carrying concealed on the fields as I coach. Are their different city laws that out weigh state laws that allow us to carry in public/city parks?

This is a non-school league right? Like a city league, not a high school, right?

Yes a city league.

Thank you for your replies.

I can't think of a city league game that my daughter has played in that I haven't carried at that I wasn't coaching. I couldn't do it when I was coaching. It just wasn't practical with all the things I was doing to coach them.

I remember one game, where I was a spectator, and the umpire was having a rough day IMO and he knew I thought that. I was not disrespectful or anything, but he knew I disagreed with some of his calls. Anyway, after a particularly bad one a young man that had just walked up behind the backstop made a comment loud enough for many to hear that someone should shot that umpire. I promptly got up and told him that I was pretty sure he was joking, but was not going to tolerate any of that kind of talk and that he'd be lucky if someone hadn't already called the police because no one else was going to tolerate it either. He apologized and seemed quite ashamed of himself and quickly moved along. I had a few people come up and thank me for addressing the young man and even the umpire himself came over to me between the next inning to thank me.