Concealed Carry refers to SB 11, which permits a licensed to carry (LTC) holder to carry a concealed handgun on or about his or her person on the campus of an institution of higher education in Texas.
Signed by the governor in June 2015, the law went into effect for four-year colleges and universities on Aug. 1, 2016. The law is effective for Dallas College and other community colleges in Texas beginning Aug. 1, 2017.
Oct. 6, 2021 Update
The Texas Legislature recently enacted the Firearm Carry Act, House Bill (“HB”) 1927. The law, which became effective on September 1, 2021, provides for Permitless Carry (sometimes referred to as “Constitutional Carry”) in certain places and under certain circumstances.
While HB 1927 allows an individual to carry a handgun without a License to Carry (“LTC”) - concealed or openly in a holster - in most situations, it
excludes college campuses from the list of places where Permitless Carry is allowed. Several existing laws, including Senate Bill 11 (passed in 2015 and effective on August 1, 2017) limit carrying of a handgun on Dallas College premises to LTC holders only and require that the handgun be concealed.
Dallas College’s current policy,
CHF(LOCAL) (PDF - 120KB), will continue to restrict concealed carry while on Dallas College premises to LTC holders only, and in any other place where weapons are expressly prohibited by Texas law or federal law. If you see a handgun or any other firearm while on campus, please contact 911 from a campus phone or 972-860-4290 when using a cellphone or non-campus phone. Please do not approach individuals seen carrying a handgun.
What Concealed Carry Allows:
- The law permits only licensed to carry (LTC) holders to carry concealed handguns on campuses.
- Allows an institution to adopt rules or regulations that prohibit license holders from carrying concealed handguns on certain areas of campus, in a building or portion of a building as long as the rules and regulations do not have the effect of generally prohibiting a license holder from carrying a concealed handgun on campus. Effective notice must be provided with respect to any place where handguns may not be carried.
What Concealed Carry Does Not Allow:
- The law does
not allow “Open Carry” on college campuses. Open carry means the intentional display of a handgun, including the carry of a partially or wholly visible handgun stored in a shoulder or belt holster.
- The law does not allow the carry of rifles or shotguns on college campuses.
Current Law:
A Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holder may carry a concealed handgun on a two-year college campus’s public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage or other parking area.
Effective Aug. 1, 2017:
A License to Carry (LTC) holder will also be able to carry a concealed handgun on or about her person on a two-year college campus, including in buildings, unless prohibited by state or federal law, or college rule or regulation.
Dallas College Concealed Carry Committee Report; Adopted Policy