What constitutes as a "public building"?

[meadowlark5]

I'm trying to find out and none of my searches is giving me a very good definition.

The reason I am asking is because I live near Castle Rock, Colorado where the city council just repealed a ban that prevented guns in public buildings. Now open carry is allowed in public buildings and parks.

Since this was a city council vote, in what buildings will open carry be allowed? Are schools considered a public building or are they govt and under that jurisdiction? Libraries? The DMV? What about the very building city council meetings are held? Will they allow guns in the city hall for their meetings? Something tells me they won't (make sure their own bacon is safe).

[loudsue]

1. Generally, public buildings refer to those that are owned by the public in some way...taxpayers...

like government buildings, which includes public schools, but not necessarily private schools.

[meadowlark5]

3. That was my understanding - but someone said schools are state govt

and the state govt building wouldn't fall under public town buildings. But property taxes help fund public schools so, to me, they are a public building - period.

[loudsue]

4. ALL government (state, federal, city, county, county agency, state/federal mandated agencies)

all are GENERALLY considered under the umbrella of "public buildings".

[okaawhatever]

2. I don't know but I do know one way you can fight it is to find out who insures the buildings and

parks for the council. Contact the insurance company and ask if premiums will go up as a result. If that's the case (and it likely will be) fight the cost increase. Ask the city council to increase the cost of gun permits to offset the costs. In my town, they allowed guns in parks but then found out the company that insured the schools would not insure the students who go there on field trips or use it for other purposes. That is how the carry in public parks was banned.
Those who won't fight it on the gun issue will probably step up if they find out they will have to pay more as a result.

Another way to fight it is to get some dumb ass to show up at the park with a weapon and watch everyone freak out. That's happened in a few places, Nashville being one. When people realized how stupid it is to allow people to go to their neighborhood park brandishing an AR-15 they will fight it.

[meadowlark5]

5. The mayor of Castle Rock is an owner in a brand spanking new gun club/shooting range

in nearby Centennial. Rocky Mtn. Gun club has a lot of money and influence in that town as well.

I'm sure someone must be preparing a challenge to this but I appreciate the information on insurance increases.

[meadowlark5]

6. I wonder if the residents know that anyone with a permit

can show up at a high school basketball game or parent teacher conferences, gun strapped to their side.

[RC]

7. Not all public building are the same.

Federal and State buildings would not be effected by this. Try going into a Social Security office with a gun and see what happens.
Also some 'public buildings' at the federal, state, county and even city level are not open to the general public.

[meadowlark5]

8. I guess the only way I'll know for sure is to call the city govt nt

[loudsue]

9. That's crazy.

Most of those gun-toters who WANT to carry their guns around (as opposed to use them for "hunting", as they claim) it is because they are afraid. They, with the help of fox news and the NRA trash magazine, whip each other up into a fear frenzy, playing on their paranoia and fantasy lives. After all; that's what sells.

I live out in the country. I'm not totally opposed to guns. A lot of the folks around here hunt deer, and we all EAT them. And, I like shooting at targets. But guns AND THEIR OWNERS need to be HEAVILY regulated, and they have NO PLACE in public areas.

That's my opinion.

[meadowlark5]

10. I'm not opposed to gun ownership either

I come from a family of gun owners. What I don't like is allowing people to have their gun on their person at all times. The old argument of "guns don't kill people, people kill people" is losing it's *logic* if you can call it that, when more and more state and local jurisdictions are allowing a lot of people to carry guns everywhere. People are the variable and it's a variable that I don't take much comfort in.

Everyone is a good guy till they aren't. Just like the retired police officer in Florida. A good guy with a gun, till he wasn't. That's the variable. People. And now people with guns at the ready.

[loudsue]

11. That is the variable: people.

You're so right. But that variable is not being taken into account in the new laws.

Totally agree with you.