Following a judge’s ruling that Austin must lift its City Hall handgun ban, the city says they are unsure whether the facility’s security guards will now be armed, a city spokesperson said. A spokesperson said the city is also uncertain whether it will appeal the ruling handed down by District Judge Lora Livingston on Jan. 17 that forced Austin to lift its ban on carrying handguns in City Hall. However, the spokesperson said although the city contracts with companies as needed for security at City Hall, the city, not the companies, would make the decision to arm security officers on the premises. Representatives reached from Securitas, one of the main security providers at City Hall, declined to comment. Livingston issued a total of $9,000 in fines against Austin for six incidents between April and Sept. 2016 where the city denied entry into City Hall to licensed handgun carriers. The court’s decision comes as a result of a suit filed against the city by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2016. The city has maintained that handguns will still be banned inside City Hall during City Council meetings and when the facility is used as a polling place, courthouse or location for educational activities. “Consistent with the court’s order, we will continue to ban handguns from City Hall during those times when the Legislature’s limitations allow, and we will be amending our communications to clarify when our handgun ban will be in effect,” the city’s statement said.