Don’t take your gun into state-run hospitals

When the new gun law took effect this year, government and/or state buildings had to deal with visitors bringing in firearms. It caused some confusion, but a few state-run facilities found themselves in a precarious situation.

Visitors can carry holstered guns in all 10 state psychiatric hospitals.

“It’s a huge safety issue, that we would hope the Legislature would consider correcting that small loophole,” Texas Nurses Association Executive Director Cindy Zolnierek, executive director of the Texas Nurses Association, said Thursday at a meeting of the House Select Committee on Mental Health.

She wants it addressed to keep the already small number of nurses from leaving because of safety issues.

Because the 10 state-run psychiatric hospitals are not licensed under Chapter 214 of the Health and Safety Code, the normal hospital ban on guns does not apply.

The state hospitals have posted notices on doors stressing the vulnerability of patients and asking visitors to keep guns concealed or in their car.

“Generally it’s best not to expose [patients] to weapons of any kind,” Carrie Williams, spokeswoman for the Department of State Health Services, told the Austin American-Statesman.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Keep the gun in the car.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Don’t take your gun into state-run hospitals."