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There's a hand guns forbidden type sign at one of the Clear Lake Hospital entrances that contains rather lengthy verbiage to the effect that not only are hand guns forbidden but, additionally states they reserve the right to search you and will prosecute if you are found to be carrying.

What's the scoop on this?

Thanks.

The law says that a CHL holder can be prosecuted for criminal trespass only if he received oral (spoken) notice or a sign that conforms to the law.

In this case, if someone wants to search you, you can refuse the search and leave. They cannot legally detain you.

The situation might become dicey if the hospital has sworn peace officers as security. That's the situation at UTMB. They can arrest you. The charge shouldn't stick, if the DA understands the law; but it would be a mess.

- Jim

seamusTX,

Thank you for your response.

Are you stating that if it's not a 30.06 sign it DEFINITELY doesn't conform?

I will be returning to visit a friend in the near future and I will write down the exact info on the sign and post it.

Abraham wrote:Are you stating that if it's not a 30.06 sign it DEFINITELY doesn't conform?

That's my opinion.

However, as I say every time this kind of question comes up, it is always possible to be arrested, and that costs time, money, and embarrassment.

Everybody has to decide which risks they are going to accept.

- Jim

Jim,

Thanks again.

Perhaps some day in the distant future all handgun signs will be standardized by all and understanding will reign.

Abraham wrote:Perhaps some day in the distant future all handgun signs will be standardized by all and understanding will reign.

You're welcome.

Perhaps someday it will be legal to carry everywhere.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:

Abraham wrote:Perhaps some day in the distant future all handgun signs will be standardized by all and understanding will reign.

You're welcome.

Perhaps someday it will be legal to carry everywhere.

- Jim

The problem is we don't have enough reasonable people wearing ruby slippers...

Speaking TOTALLY for the general population here, but coming from someone in the Webster area, I can 'almost' promise you that CHL holders have carried in there before ;)

I saw that sign as well when I went. I stopped and read it carefully, and came to the same conclusion seamusTX did. There wasn't anyone there reading the sign out loud to me, so no oral warning, and it wasn't a 30.06 sign, and no one KNEW I had a handgun license in my wallet, so no foul.

But just in case, you didn't hear this from me. I haven't even stated that I carried my weapon into the building :)

Concealed means concealed.

- Jim