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After checking with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, I found that Texas is not much different than Arizona when it comes to carrying certain weapons in public. Assistant DA Kevin Petroff explains:
“Although machine guns are illegal to carry in Texas, and that has been defined as essentially an automatic weapon, rifles or other long barreled guns, such as shot guns, are perfectly legal to carry around in public.”
Most people are probably unaware of this law.
In the Arizona case, a man carried an assault rifle strapped to his back as he attended a health care reform protest. Police kept an eye on him, but knew, he wasn’t breaking the law. Petroff says although it’s legal Texas, walking down the street or through the mall with rifle on your back could cause some problems.
“Practically speaking, if you carry a gun to a mall, or rally, or down the street, you’re probably going to get stopped by a police officer. And they’re going to do some investigating. And they’re going to find out whether or not you’re legally allowed to carry a gun and whether or not that’s an area that you can do it.”
He says there are certain areas that are off limits. These weapons free zones are places like schools, airports, government buildings and prisons. Also, if it’s a place or event the President is attending, that is considered a federal site another place weapons aren’t allowed.
Bill Stamps. KUHF-Houston Public Radio News.