(A) (1) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CITY PREMISES. Any building or part of a building owned, leased, or rented by the city. The term does not include adjacent sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, or streets.
PEACE OFFICER. Those officers identified under Tex. Code of Criminal Procedure, Art. 2.12.
(2) Concealed handguns on city premises prohibited. No person other than a peace officer may carry a concealed handgun within city premises. This ban includes those persons licensed to carry concealed handguns pursuant to Tex. Gov’t Code, §§ 411.171 et seq.
(3) Posting of sign giving notice of the imposed ban. Signs in both English and Spanish giving notice of the ban imposed in this section shall be prominently posted in all city premises. The sign must appear in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height bearing the statement “Concealed Handguns are Prohibited on These Premises.”
(4) Violators will be required to leave city premises. Any peace officer or other municipal authority may require a person in violation of the ban established by this section to leave city premises. Failure to immediately leave the premises shall be considered a trespass and shall subject the person to any applicable penalty at law.
(5) Effective date. This section shall become effective on 11-22-2002.
(B) (1) City Municipal Courtroom and court offices in City Hall. The City Council hereby declares that the City Council chambers in the City Hall located at 200 North Bell Street, Willis, Texas, periodically serves as the City Municipal Courtroom; and further finds and declares that a portion of the City Hall also is utilized as the Municipal Court office which is essential to the operation of the government court for the city.
(2) Handguns prohibited in city government meetings. The City Council hereby prohibits the carrying of handguns in a City Council meeting, a city Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the Willis Economic Development Corporation board meetings, and the Willis Community Development Corporation board meetings in the City Council Chambers when held subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act as found at Ch. 551 of the Tex. Gov’t Code, and orders that proper notice of such prohibition be posted at the entrance to the City Council Chambers at City Hall in accordance with § 30.06 and § 30.07 of the Tex. Penal Code.
(3) Firearms prohibited in City Municipal Court proceedings and offices. The City Council hereby prohibits firearms in Municipal Court offices in City Hall and during Municipal Court proceedings as required by law; and orders that proper notices of such prohibition be posted at the City Hall in accordance with § 30.06 and § 30.07 of the Tex. Penal Code during Municipal Court proceedings.
(4) Handgun open carry prohibited by city employees on city premises. The City Council hereby prohibits city employees with a LTC license from openly carrying a handgun in the City Hall or other city buildings. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a city employee from keeping a firearm in the employee's personal vehicle when parked in a city parking lot.
(5) Exceptions to firearms prohibitions. The prohibitions found in this section are not applicable to a licensed peace officer; a judicial officer as defined in § 411.201 of the Tex. Gov’t Code; and other persons listed in § 46.15 of the Tex. Penal Code.
(Ord. 02-1015A, passed 10-15-2002; Ord. 16-0216, passed 2-16-2016) Penalty, see § 30.99