Williamson County Opts Out of ‘Guns In Parks’ Law

The Williamson County Commission voted unanimously Monday to opt out of the so-called “guns in parks” law.

If the commission had done nothing handgun carry permit holders would be allowed to bring their weapons into the county’s more than 30 parks.

Commissioners say the “guns in parks” law contradicts a state ban on weapons in schools, parks and playgrounds. Many Williamson County schools share use of county parks for athletic activities, and some greenways pass through school grounds as well.

Chairman Houston Naron says the guns-in-parks law doesn’t take the school prohibition into account.

“It flies right into the face of what state laws are attempting to do relative to school property, so we will seek a clarification of that.”

Naron says the commission wants state attorneys to resolve the apparent conflict in the next year. Failing that, the bill’s sponsor says the commission will extend its ban, which is set to expire next May.

Tonight the Brentwood City Commission will also consider opting out of the “guns in parks” law.

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Naron says the local education board threatened to ban student activity in county parks if guns were allowed there.

Under the resolution passed Monday, the county must pay some $3000 to put up signs in local parks. But sponsor Mary Brockman called that choice a “no-brainer,” saying the alternative would be for schools to develop separate parks for students, at a cost of some $30 million.

Brockman was one of six commissioners to vote against the amendment that sunsets the county exemption at the end of May, 2010. She says she has little faith in state lawmakers to clear the matter up.

“I felt like the water could be even muddier in a year, and I did not see the state being able to clarify, given their current legislation, which is just – It’s ridiculous that they made this public act and then threw it to the counties and the cities to try to sort it out. It’s really an untenable situation.”