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General prohibition on guns in schools and campuses

Subject area to the exceptions described below, Texas law more often than not prohibits people from intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly possessing or "going with" a firearm on the premises of a school or educational institution, including both public and private Grand-12 schools and institutions of higher education (colleges and universities), unless pursuant to written regulations or written authorization from that school or institution.1 This brake also generally applies to the grounds or building where an activity sponsored by a school or educational institution is beingness conducted, or in a school or educational institution'due south passenger transportation vehicle (such as a school bus), unless pursuant to written regulations or written authorization from the establishment.2 Country police too generally prohibits people from carrying firearms on bounds where a high school or collegiate sporting event or interscholastic issue is taking place (unless the person is a participant in an upshot requiring use of firearms).3

People with concealed behave licenses may keep firearms or ammunition in a locked, privately owned or leased motor vehicle in K-12 school parking areas provided that the firearm or ammunition is not in plain view.iv

Campus Carry by people with a CCW License:


The full general prohibition on members of the public carrying guns in schools applies in both public and private institutions of higher education and K-12 schools alike. However, in 2015, Texas passed legislation to significantly weaken its laws regarding carrying weapons on college and university campuses past people with valid handgun licenses.5 State law now more often than not authorizes people with valid handgun licenses to carry concealed handguns on college and academy campuses, unless the educational institution has exercised its authority to restrict them from doing then.six

This law provides public colleges and universities with merely some discretion to establish "reasonable" rules, regulations, or other provisions regarding concealed carry by license holders on the institution'south campus or premises, then long as these rules do not generally prohibit or have the event of generally prohibiting license holders from carrying curtained handguns on campus.7 If a public college or university prohibits concealed carry in a portion of the campus, such equally a dorm building or classroom, Texas law requires that institution to provide effective find of that restriction.eight

Private or independent institutions of college education have more discretion and control over their own campuses, and may regulate or outright prohibit people from carrying concealed firearms on their campuses, any grounds or building on which an activity sponsored by the institution is being conducted, or a rider transportation vehicle owned past the establishment, but only after consulting with students, staff, and faculty of the institution.9

Though Texas passed legislation in 2022 that mostly authorizes members of the public to carry concealed or holstered handguns in most public spaces without a handgun license, people without these licenses are generally non authorized to deport on higher or university campuses or K-12 schools either.

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  1. Tex. Penal Code § 46.03(a).[↩]
  2. Id. See as well Tex. Educ. Lawmaking § 37.125(a) (regarding exhibiting, using or threatening to exhibit or use a firearm in a school charabanc in a fashion intended to alarm or to impairment school property).[↩]
  3. Tex. Penal Code § 46.03(a)(8).[↩]
  4. Tex. Educ. Code § 37.0815 (as amended by 2022 TX SB 1566, Section xiii.[↩]
  5. Come across 2022 Tx. S.B. 11, enacting Tex. Gov't. Lawmaking § 411.2031.[↩]
  6. Run into Tex. Gov't. Code § 411.2031; Tex. Pen. Code § 46.03(a)(1)(B).[↩]
  7. Id.[↩]
  8. Id.[↩]
  9. Id.[↩]