What do the Alamo Drafthouse, Regal Cinemas, Chuy’s Mexican restaurants, H-E-B grocery stores, Torchy’s Tacos, and Whataburger have in common? They are among the dozens of commercial establishments that have confirmed they will not allow “open carry” of firearms in their stores, following the January 1 effective date of the Legislature’s general permission of more visible guns in Texas. According to the Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, “Dozens of businesses, including thousands of locations across the state, will be exercising their right to prohibit individuals from openly carrying guns in their establishments. Throughout the fall and winter, the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action reached out to businesses large and small, sometimes going door-to-door, to educate them about the new law and to urge them to prohibit open carry. We also provided a resource to help businesses understand how the new law works, as well as what they can do to prevent open carry in their stores.” The list is being expanded as Moms Demand Action contacts more businesses, and more companies confirm that they will adopt similar policies – which require specific signage designated by the state. Activists are encouraging consumers to thank the management of businesses discouraging the proliferation of guns, and to let others know that they won’t continue to patronize establishments that allow open carry. Follow the Twitter hashtag #groceriesnotguns, and you can review and monitor the list of cooperating businesses at www.momsdemandaction.org.
Make Your Own Gun-Free Zone
Want to make your home or business a gun-free zone? Use the handy, Texas-code-compliant “30.06” and “30.07” signs we’ve printed in the centerfold of this issue. Or download PDFs to print your own, at austinchronicle.com/gunfreezone.
This article appears in January 8 • 2016.
