A Democrat State Representative from San Antonio, Diego Bernal, has set his sights on Penal Code sections 30.06 and 30.07, the laws that govern the current requirements for written communication in the form of signs for property owners to post to prohibit firearms. These signs are commonly referred to as “30.06” (concealed carry) and “30.07” (open carry) signs.
Apparently, Bernal believes the current laws for the signs that require specific language be written in block letters of at least one inch in height are not good enough. So, he filed HB 191 for consideration when the legislative session begins January 10, 2017.
Bernal proposes that the new signs be no larger than 8 ½ inches by 11 inches in size. Furthermore, he would require the Department of Public Safety come up with language they feel appropriate to give gun carriers effective notice that handguns were prohibited. There is also no minimum size for the lettering specified in the bill either. This bill would allow a property owner to legally post an index card with some as yet to be determined warning language and punish a law-abiding gun owner that happens to miss seeing the small sign!
It appears that Bernal wants to save property owners the cost of buying signs and allow them to simply download printable copies from the DPS website, making these prohibitive signs more readily available to everyone, thereby increasing the number of locations where guns can legally be carried, either concealed or openly.
Are the current sign requirements really that big a problem? Do you believe smaller, more readily available signs is a good idea? Let us and your state representative know. — by Michael Wisdom, Senior Contributing Editor, Texas & U.S. Law Shield Blog