The senior legal advisor with the Plano Police Department explained to the Plano City Council its options for regulating firearms within its chambers at a Jan. 11 meeting. Council members agreed to ban all firearms from the city’s board, commission and council meetings as allowed by state law. Open carry gun laws took effect in Texas Jan. 1 and amend the state’s former concealed carry law, which had been in place since 1995. According to Senate Bill 273, state or local agencies cannot post any signs prohibiting the carrying of a concealed weapon on the premises or other place owned or leased by the agency unless prohibited under chapters 46.03 and 46.035 of the Penal Code. These statutes allow local governments to prohibit all handguns—concealed or open carry—from public meetings and other limited areas of government buildings. English and Spanish versions of the prohibitive signage is will be posted in the lobby of City Hall during such meetings. Staff will also have courtesy cards containing the legal notice in case a resident misses the sign and needs to be provided notice to return their gun to their vehicle so they may attend the meeting, stated Mark Israelson, assistant city manager, in a email to city staff on Jan. 12.