CITY COUNCIL VOTES AGAINST PROHIBITING OPEN OR CONCEALED CARRY IN CITY MEETINGS
Brenham’s City Council has voted against prohibiting licensed open carry or concealed handguns in City meetings.
After an hour of presentation and discussion this (Thursday) afternoon, the Brenham City Council voted 7 to 1 against a proposal to not allow licensed open or concealed handguns inside City meetings. Andrew Ebel was the lone council member voting for the proposed ordinance. Prior to the vote, Brenham Police Chief Craig Goodman told the councilmembers that he would prefer that licensed handgun owners be able to carry their weapons inside City meetings. Chief Goodman said he personally doesn’t know of any licensed handgun owners who have been involved in illegal shootings.
Brenham businessman John Deans, who teaches concealed handgun classes, told the Council that the mass shootings in San Bernardino California happened inside a building that was a gun free zone. Deans said, “A bad guy with a gun is only stopped by a good guy with a gun.” Chief Goodman also agreed with Deans that licensed carry people don’t want to advertise that they have a gun….so most will keep them concealed. Goodman said he hasn’t heard of any sightings in Brenham of someone openly carrying a handgun.
One area of the Brenham Municipal Building where carrying a handgun, concealed or open, will be prohibited is in courtrooms and areas where court business is conducted. City Secretary Jeana Bellinger showed the Council an example of three by four foot signs which would be placed in restricted areas of the building whenever court is in session. Similar signs will have to be displayed at the Blue Bell Aquatic Center whenever school district activities area occurring. Bellinger said that whenever the City Parks are used by either school or college teams, that school or college will be responsible for posting signs prohibiting handguns in that area.
Welcome to the wild west..oh wait even in the wild west the had limits on where you could carry a gun
I do not understand the difference between a city hall meeting and a court room, except one has hardworking council members and the other judges, lawyers and citizens in a different room. Unhappy citizens are possible in both circumstances. Need logical explanation.
It is my understanding that under the new State law, courtrooms and offices serving courts must have signage prohibiting handguns, whether concealed or open carry. The City has the option to prohibit them in their own meeting rooms, and chose not to do so.