Today: House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee Hearing on HB 2405, Simple Signage Bill
Today the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined business owners to testify in support of HB 2405, a simple signage bill that reduces the burdensome requirements for businesses to follow if they want to keep concealed handguns out of their private property. The bill, introduced by Representative Poncho Nevárez, would create a new, graphic sign that is easy to post yet instantly identifiable, making it much more business and customer friendly. This bill has the full support of the Texas Association of Business.
Currently, if a private business wishes to prohibit concealed handguns on their property by posting a sign, Texas Penal Code 30.06 requires that the sign include a particularly long phrase, in large letters and two languages, which results in a very large size that must be printed by a professional printer. These requirements are unique to the state of Texas—no other state requires a sign anywhere near as large.
“The bill fixes the current, intentionally burdensome requirements placed on private business owners who want to prohibit guns from their premises,” said Anna Kehde, volunteer leader with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “The requirements under Texas state law are so onerous, a compliant sign ends up being about as big as a pony. Moms urge lawmakers to support this pro-business bill that mirrors other states’ successes in graphic signage like the legislatures in Kansas, Illinois, and South Carolina.”
“For me, and for my employees and clients, I choose to prohibit handguns in the work environment that I have worked so hard to create, and I believe the state of Texas should make it easier to do so, if they can,” said Jeff Salter, President and CEO of Caring Senior Service, a caregiver company founded in 1991 in Odessa, Texas. “HB2405 makes that choice mine, and that’s the right thing to do.”
“Businesses want to comply with Texas law to make their firearm policy clear. We support efforts to streamline and simplify the process. A uniform sign that is easily accessible and downloadable from the Texas Department of Public Safety would go a long way to doing just this,” said Bill Hammond, CEO of Texas Association of Business. “We fully support legislation by Rep. Poncho Nevarez that would ensure compliance for Texas businesses.”
Additionally, the movement of the licensed open carry bill in the legislature further complicates the signage issue. If the licensed open carry bill passes, Texas business owners who wish to keep guns out would be forced to post two large signs. Volunteers with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action have been educating Texas business and consumer community about the current onerous laws in Texas and today submitted letters of support for HB2405 from Texas business leaders who were unable to attend today’s House committee hearing.
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand
