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**Henry** · 04-28-2011, 10:23 PM

SB 321 by Senator Glenn Hegar, Jr. (R-Katy) deals with the legal possession of firearms and ammunition in an employee’s personal, locked vehicle when parked on the employer’s parking lot. SB 321 has a companion in the House, HB 681 by Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Giddings).

Senator Hegar has passed this issue twice in the Senate during previous sessions only to have the bill stopped in the Texas House in Calendar’s committee, never reaching the House floor.

While it's obviously been blamed on the “clock” or on the time-eating exploits of a group of Democrats out to stop the Voter ID bill, a major power in play has been Texas business; TAB, the Chemical Council, and strangely enough USAA insurance company.

USAA is located in San Antonio and is the insurer for most military and federal employees around the world, a strange source of opposition for legislation dealing with the personal safety of their employees.

Don’t look for logic. This company deals in data and a priority might be a "firewall", not the contents of your vehicle.

In 2005, USAA brought language to our bill author, Rep. Patrick Rose, that would allow the company to offer an “alternate parking lot” outside their high-fenced, gated and restricted area. The language was accepted by the bill’s author to keep the bill moving.

Generally when language is added at someone else’s request, it means that person or group no longer opposes and even supports the legislation. Not so for USAA! Oh, no, not by any means and so ended the 2005 session.

In 2007, Rep. Stephen Frost, vice chairman of House Public Safety Committee, filed the parking lot bill.

Again Senator Hegar’s senate version passed in the Texas Senate and moved on to House Public Safety with the same language as before including that added for USAA. USAA’s lobbyist testified against the bill, saying they had sold the land for the “alternative parking lot" and it would be a financial hardship to ask them to buy more.

Give me a break! Go put metal detectors on your building entrances for security and move on! They didn't...

The 2009 Parking Lot legislation is lean and clean as every group asking for a concession, and receiving a concession, did not support past legislation. All continued to aggressively oppose the issue in every way possible.

Now, USAA is shopping their version of a 2009 “sensible amendment”. I shudder when I hear the words sensible gun legislation. This session USAA will be “fine” if their employees who want a firearm in their vehicle, first notify the employer. The sensible part comes from some notion that if the company decides fire someone, one of their gun-toting employees, they would be warned the person might be extra dangerous, and they could see that disgruntled employee to the security gate.

Their flawed logic continues but I’m certain you can see it clearly for yourself. I hope the Texas Legislature does also.

As for other business and industries, the Texas Association of Business (TAB) represents many and Texas Monthly lists their executive director, Bill Hammond, as high on the list of the most powerful men in Texas.

Why would they oppose this important personal safety option when it’s kept in your car? Mostly because they can. There’s civil immunity to protect the employer who is following state law. Again, don't struggle too long looking for logic.

And if you think this is about private property rights, that’s a bit of a stretch too. The vast majority of the opposition is coming from large, publicly traded employers, not Ma and Pa business owners. This isn't going to cost industry a dime and it's free to the state of Texas.

Bell Helicopter in Roanoke recently went through their parking lot with dogs and brought in two employees, one with a pellet gun and the other with shotgun shells in his trunk. While the employees were not terminated, I cannot imagine why the company put their security or human resources staff through such a fire-drill.

Senator Hegar and Rep. Kleinschmidt’s legislation is about the legal contents of the employee's vehicle. It allows the employer full control over the worksite, anybuildings, as well as the employer's vehicles, such as the UPS truck.

Over 400,000 Concealed Handgun Licensees are disarmed during the day and sometimes during the night on their trip to and from their jobs. This is wrong and many good employees chose between their safety and their jobs every day.

Announcement

HB 681 in Committee!‏ (Parking Lot Bill)

HB 681 in Committee!‏ (Parking Lot Bill)

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