Good news for the second amendment in Texas:
Legislation that would prohibit Texas employers from banning their employees from bringing guns to work, so long as they leave them locked and stored in their vehicles in the parking lot, was approved this morning by the state Senate.
Senate Bill 321 by state Sens. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, and Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, would prohibit employers from adopting policies that keep employees from storing legal firearms or ammunition in their locked vehicles in the employers’ parking lot.
Under current law, companies can prohibit all firearms on their property, even ones that are locked and stored in vehicles. Violators can be fired.
Granted, the bill has passed the senate three separate times in the past, without every being approved by the House. But with a GOP super-majority in the House this session, and much bigger fish to fry and bigger fights to pick (redistricting, budget, immigration, etc.) this has a good chance of sweeping through.
The current law, when company’s prohibit citizens from keeping their guns in their private vehicles, deny citizens the right and ability to defend themselves, their property, and others on their way to and from work.
A few weeks ago I called into the Mark, Ed, and Sgt. Sam show on KLBJ 590 AM because Ed was rambling on about company’s having the right to restrict what does or does not come onto their property. While I am almost always in favor of private businesses deciding on how to run their businesses free of Government intervention (smoking bans, cough, cough…) — this is different. This is different, as it would not be a new law to allow gun owners the right to carry and keep their weapons in their private cars while on company property…it removes the law that allows companies to prohibit it.
I asked Ed, “If you are OK with company’s being able to deny you your second amendment rights, which other fundamental rights are you OK with company’s stripping from their employees?”
Don’t forget to call your state Representative and implore them to support this bill and to get it through the House and onto Gov. Perry’s desk. Find out who represents you at: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ if you don’t already know.
Email This Post
⋅
Print This Post
As long as the law requires that the guns be secured on the property, rather than requiring that the employer allow employees to carry on the job, I’m OK with the proposed statute. Requiring a property-owner to allow concealed (or open) carry on their property would be going too far in the limitation of property rights.
*shrug* until the employers realize that gun free zone equals target rich environment? *shrug*
I’ll admit that if it passes it’s a first step but only a step.