In a 3-0 decision, the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in support of allowing employees to store legally owned firearms in locked, private motor vehicles while parked in employer parking lots. I wonder how this will affect efforts here in Texas, such as HB 1301 and SB 730.
I’m torn on this issue, because it’s a mix of personal rights to self-protection and property rights. Here’s some debate on the matter:
- The NRA on Parking Lot Gun Laws and the Right To Transport Firearms. I’m sure you can guess which side they come down on.
- Daniel White from the Cleveland Gun Rights Examiner on Personal Rights vs. Property Rights. He believes personal rights trump.
- John Lott on Gun Owners v. Property Rights. He comes down on the side of property rights, especially due to workplace troubles with OSHA and other Federal law compliance.
- Reason Magazine’s Steve Chapman asserts that property rights trump.
- JR over at A Keyboard and a .45 has a good point-counterpoint piece on the matter. His poll results.
- Does your car count as an extension of your property? Seems to vary from state to state (in Texas it does count).
- Would you really want to keep your gun in your car since that’s inviting a break-in? And it’s not exactly handy to you when you might need it (but sometimes it’s handy enough).
And if you spend a little time with Google, you can find a lot more on the debate.
Stuff From Hsoi 
I’m definitely of the opinion that my car is my property, and things that remain in or on my property are of no concern to anyone else.
One of San Antonio’s largest employers, USAA, has a corporate policy which prohibits their employees from having a concealed weapon in their car when it is on the grounds. The ironic thing is that if I (a non-employee) go to their grounds to use the bank I am not bound by their policy.
Does the ruling take an immediate effect? Can USAA employees store a weapon in their cars now while on company grounds tomorrow?
Yeah, that policy doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it’s likely mired in trying to stave off the lawyers and dealing with other things (like OHSA). And I wouldn’t be surprised if ignorance and misinformation were in the mix as well.
Not sure how the ruling affects USAA.