Texas-Book-Gun Law Armed And Educated - Flipbook - Page 317
The issue of sporting events causes much confusion. Texas law
prohibits the carrying of a handgun on the premises of a high school,
collegiate, and professional sporting or interscholastic event. This
means, quite obviously, that a person cannot carry his or her open
or concealed handgun at a high school soccer game, a professional
football game, a professional baseball game, or similar event.
1. Collegiate sporting events
With regard to collegiate sporting events, a person generally may
not carry a firearm because of Texas Penal Code Section 46.03(a)
(8). However, for a license holder, there is an exception. Texas Penal
Code Section 46.15(q) (the Non-Applicability Statute) explains that
Section 46.03(a)(8) does not apply if the person carries a concealed
handgun on a premises where a collegiate sporting event is taking
place, holds a Texas LTC, and was not given effective notice under
Texas Penal Code Section 30.06.
If you plan on attending a collegiate sporting event, you may
lawfully carry a concealed handgun (not open carry) into the event
as long as there is no effective notice pursuant to Texas Penal Code
Section 30.06. But what about some events that are not so obvious?
Some of the confusion comes from the fact that the Texas Penal
Code does not define a “professional” sporting event. Pro football,
baseball, basketball, and so forth are easy sports to identify, but
what about all the flavors of rodeo in Texas?
2. Professional rodeos
Some rodeos are considered professional sporting events where the
carrying of handguns and weapons is prohibited. This means that a
person is prohibited from carrying a handgun in the arena where the
rodeo is taking place. Remember, because “premises” includes only
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