Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio

[Drifter]

This place is listed as a UT San Antonio Campus. Is CC thus prohibited in the museum, a popular tourist attraction? (at least when I lived in SA many years ago.)

[lrb111]

Without having been there, I would lean toward it is part of the "premises". So much so, that I would be planning how to lock up the pistol while touring.

[srothstein]

This one is a very interesting question. Since the museum is not on the campus, but is inside Hemisfair park, I tend towards it being OK to carry there. But I can definitely see the argument the other way too.

I think this might fall into the teaching hospital area. It can be takn either way and only a court will decide it.

[Drifter]

I e-mailed the Institute and received the following reply today (high lights are mine ):

According to The University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department, Standard Operating Procedure 200-1, A person with a concealed handgun license may not possess a handgun on any premises owned and or under the control and supervision of the University of Texas at San Antonio. This is to ensure a safe environment for our guests and the community. We invite you to the museum and your visit is important to us but no weapons are permitted. We appreciate your concern and awareness on this issue. If I can answer any further questions, please call or e-mail me.

Respectfully,
Ramiro Nino
Security Supervisor
UTSA Police Department
Tel. (210) 458-2264
ramiro.nino@utsa.edu

[frankie_the_yankee]

Obviously, this facility is UT property, so they can legally ban weapons on the premesis - i.e. in the building.

[Drifter]

True. I was not sure that the Museum was considered a "school facility". I don't recall that the Institute was part of UT when I lived in SA and visited it 30 years ago, but it may have been.

I sent back the following:

Thank you for your reply.

As a Texas CHL holder, I strongly disagree with this policy, although I know that Texas CHL laws prohibit carrying on school facilities. I didn't know if the Museum fell into that category.

I believe this policy (and law) is effective in preventing only trained and licensed citizens from carrying a concealed weapon for their personal protection while at your facility.

The criminal element will pay no attention; thus ensuring a more dangerous environment for law abiding citizens, not a safer environment as you stated below.

Again, thank you for your response.

Chuck

[frankie_the_yankee]

Nice letter!

[dihappy]

Good letter, but i would have also pointed out his error in:

...on any premises owned and or under the control and supervision of the University of Texas at San Antonio.

As Texas law defines "premises", that is unless he already knew what "premises" meant when he typed his response, but i doubt it :)

[frankie_the_yankee]

As Texas law defines "premises", that is unless he already knew what "premises" meant when he typed his response, but i doubt it :)

I assume you mean the building(s) but not the parking lot, right?

[dihappy]

Yes, i wonder if he knows that.

[srothstein]

I was going to reiterate what i said about the museum not being on the school campus but I just reread the law and caught something that made me pause.

The law says you cannot carry "on the premises of a school" and I have always taken this to mean the actual school buildings or the campus. There is also the section that says the grounds or building where an activity sponsored by a school is going on. I have always taken this to mean where the school has taken the kids to. As I was about to post, I realized that the museum is an activity sponsored by a school, even when there are no kids present. The activity does not have to be for the children or students and nowhere in the law does it say this (even though it is how I have always read this).

So, if the school is sponsoring a PTA meeting at a nearby restaurant for awards to the parents, that restaurant would now be a forbidden place. There might be no kids present, but it is still an activity sponsored by a school.

What do you think of this realization? Have any of you thought of it this way? Have I missed something where I have jumped too far?

It certainly clears up the museum, and could make the question about teaching hospitals moot, since the medical activity is sponsored by a school. Even a free dental clinic sponsored by the school now becomes forbidden without being posted 30.06.

[seamusTX]

So, if the school is sponsoring a PTA meeting at a nearby restaurant for awards to the parents, that restaurant would now be a forbidden place. There might be no kids present, but it is still an activity sponsored by a school.

Charges are theoretically possible in that case. But I think the intent of the legislature was mainly to prohibit weapons at events like school sports (where people often become irrational).

I say "think" because I would have to dig through the state web site for a long time to find the related legislative documents, if they're even available online.

- Jim