Several new state gun laws have gone or will soon go into effect.

Most notably, handgun license holders can openly carry firearms starting Jan. 1, and concealed carry will be allowed on college campuses starting Aug. 1. Also, seven new laws, including one that potentially allows guns inside Austin City Hall, are already official.

The laws were passed during the 2015 legislative session in what state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, called “an effort to show how pro-gun you can be.”

“I don’t think it’s just about gun rights. I just think the argument gets cloaked in that,” said Watson, a concealed handgun license holder who opposes open carry. “We want to make sure everybody’s rights are protected, but we want to do it in a way that’s reasonable, rational and takes into account public safety.”

Watson anticipates receiving complaints early next year in response to the new open carry handgun laws, which he said were not overwhelmingly requested by constituents.

However, Austin Police Department Commander Andy Michael said he is not worried about unintended consequences stemming from the new laws and does not anticipate significant changes to enforcement policies unless the armed individual is acting erratically or is near an area where firearms are banned.

“We have no intention of asking for a license based solely on the fact we see somebody openly carrying a weapon,” Michael said.

Efforts to educate

APD does not currently plan on holding any community meetings or public forums to answer questions and educate the public about the new rules. Michael instead recommends residents attend a monthly commander forum in their part of town to discuss any concerns. Some business owners and churches have sought guidance, Michael said, but APD is not recommending whether to allow open carry.

“I understand it’s the law and everybody’s right,” Michael said. “Just out of respect for everybody, if nothing else, I’d keep it concealed.”

Central Austinite Brian McRae, an ex-tech worker who now owns CHL-Texas.com, said most license holders he knows also do not intend to openly carry handguns come Jan. 1.

“All of us believe that open carry is not practical, except for the deterrent factor,” McRae said. “There is some truth to that, but it does not outweigh the risk of carrying open.”

Concealing a firearm allows the holder to decide whether to initiate action during a potentially threatening situation, McRae said, but that advantage is lost when one openly carries.

“Paradoxically, our training is more peaceful,” he said. “You’re taught that you win 100 percent of the gunfights you don’t get into.”

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, there are 825,957 license holders as of Dec. 31, 2014. The vast majority of those licensees comply with the law, said John Lacaria, owner and instructor of Texas Firearm Academy in Austin.

“I think most companies realize you can stop license holders from coming in, but all the signs in the world aren’t going to stop a criminal from coming in,” Lacaria said.

Know the rules

New state Senate rules resulted in many unclear new laws that require interpretation from the state’s attorney general, according to Watson. For example, state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, asked the state in September to clarify whether handguns can now be openly displayed on public school district parking lots, driveways, sidewalks and walkways.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s office argues the wording of the pending law does allow open carry outside school buildings, according to Michael Cargill, owner and instructor of Central Texas Gun Works in South Austin.

Nearly every other establishment is required to post signs if they do not wish to allow concealed carry, open carry or both, according to Cargill.

Texas Restaurant Association spokesperson Wendy Woodland said more than 100 restaurant owners attended a November webinar detailing open-carry laws. Any establishment that draws more than half its business from alcohol sales must automatically ban firearms, Woodland said.

“So if you have 48 percent alcohol sales, you can choose to allow open or concealed licensed handgun holders,” she said.

H-E-B already permits concealed carry, but the Texas-based grocer will not permit open handgun carry, spokesperson Leslie Lockett said. Whole Foods Market has not allowed firearms since the company was founded, according to spokesperson Rachel Malish, and that policy will remain.

Policing public property

Cargill also argues the city of Austin is disobeying a new state law that allows concealed carry—and starting Jan. 1, open carry—inside portions of Austin City Hall. An Oct. 9 memo from Abbott’s legal team essentially sides with Cargill, who filed one of 25 related complaints to the state.

However, Attorney General Ken Paxton has not issued a response to the complaints, according to a spokesperson. In the meantime, Austin officials continue to argue City Hall should be exempt from the new law.

“It’s our usage of City Hall that allows it to be a prohibited place,” said Mark Washington, acting assistant city manager, arguing that regular City Council activity and monthly court proceedings exempt the building from compliance.

Watson, a previous Austin mayor, said municipalities should have final say on where guns can be allowed.

“These are places where you have high emotions, so [the city of Austin] ought to be in position to make those determinations,” Watson said.

Starting in August, The University of Texas must begin allowing concealed carry. A working group on Dec. 10 recommended 25 guidelines to regulate campus carry. Concealed handguns would be allowed in classrooms but not dorms, according to the recommendations. UT estimates fewer than 1 percent of students will have licenses to carry. The proposals must ultimately receive board of regents approval. Austin Community College must follow suit and allow concealed carry starting Aug. 1, 2017, but no official policy changes have been announced by the school.