Texas-Book-Gun Law Armed And Educated - Flipbook - Page 299
Under federal law, the “official purposes” language refers
specifically to the VA Hospital police. See 38 CFR § 1.218(a)(13).
The area where this specific law gets good people in trouble is that
the Department of Veterans Affairs has its own set of laws and
guidelines and is not controlled strictly by the Gun Control Act
and the general provisions regarding the prohibition of firearms on
federal property. The VA law is much more restrictive, and many
veterans have found themselves in trouble when they valet-park
their vehicle and the valet discovers a handgun in the console,
in the door storage area, or lying on the seat in a holster. How
rigidly this law is enforced is determined by the individual hospital
administrators as described in Title 38 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, Section 1.218(a); however, regardless of how strictly
the law is enforced, firearms are still prohibited, and the VA police
are very aggressive in enforcing them.
D. United States Post Offices: firearms prohibited
FIREARMS PROHIBITED AT POST OFFICES
39 CFR § 232.1(l)
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule or regulation,
no person while on postal property may carry firearms, other
dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives, either openly or
concealed, or store the same on postal property, except for
official purposes.
Under this regulation, firearms or other deadly weapons are
prohibited on postal property, which includes not only the building,
but all property surrounding the building where a post office is
located. This includes the parking lot (e.g., a person’s vehicle where
a firearm may be stored), as well as the sidewalks and walkways
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