In light of recent events and the emerging debate about guns in schools, the library has pulled together the following collection of resources.
Texas laws:
Multiple laws govern the use of handguns by Texas residents. The Texas Department of Public Safety has a helpful publication that highlights these laws:
Texas Concealed Handgun Laws and Selected Statutes (October 2012)
There has been a growing debate over whether the state should allow individuals with concealed handgun licenses to legally carry in Texas primary and secondary schools. Texas Penal Code Sec. 46.03 and Sec. 46.035 currently ban handguns on school grounds as well as at school sporting events.
The library did not locate any past Texas legislation that attempted to allow teachers and administrators to carry handguns in primary and secondary schools. In the most recent session, SB 354 attempted to allow individuals who were licensed to carry concealed weapons to do so on higher education campuses. The bill did not pass.
School Safety resources:
Information about state-required school safety standards can be found on the Texas School Safety Center website. Created in 2001 by SB 430, the Texas School Safety Center is a good starting point for safety and security information pertaining to all independent school districts and junior college districts in Texas. The site makes available the Texas Unified School Safety Standards as well as the latest survey of safety and security audits completed by Texas schools.
Federal laws:
Two major federal statutes regulate the commerce in and possession of firearms: the National Firearms Act of 1934 (26 U.S.C. §5801 et seq.) and the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. Chapter 44, §921 et seq.).
A recent publication by the Congressional Research Service, Gun Control Legislation, discusses both of these acts, as well as the gun control debate in the context of recent mass shootings. In addition, the publication also provides a set of helpful data sources for firearm-related statistics.
