Legal hospital CCW?

[NukemJim]

A question arose yesterday while talking to a friend who works in a hospital in a bad neighborhood, who would like to CCW.

Are there any states that allow CCW inside a hospital?

I know in Texas most (if not all) hospitals have a 30.06 sign on them forbiding CCW, do not know about other states.

NukemJim

[Hardcase]

Yes, there are some states that do not expressly forbid carrying concealed in a hospital. I don't have a list at hand, though. But aside from state law, any particular hospital may have the power forbid firearms on hospital property and, again depending upon state law, such prohibition may have the force of law...or it just may mean having you leave the facility.

Here in Idaho, for instance, concealed carry is not prohibited in hospitals, although the hospitals are free to prohibit weapons. That prohibition does not carry the force of law - you can't be arrested for carrying in the hospital, but they can have you removed and trespassed.

[Gus-gus]

Florida has hit one out of the park!

It seems the state will restrict gun laws below the state level, so cities and municipalities are on official notice to ignore the gun rights issues. Making it a whole new situation and very possibly a civil matter for public places to restrict ccw's. This opens the premise that hospitals, grocery stores and all public use business's could be restricted in rules which limit the ccw rights. This one will be a good one to watch closely.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/gun-...-restrictions/

[Don H]

Utah is much like Idaho, as described in Hardcase's post. The University of Utah Hospital and its off-site facilities, being a state-owned entity, cannot legally even post a sign prohibiting carry, except for the portion of the hospital that is legally designated as a secure area for psychiatric care.

[Carry_24/7]

Gus; good post. Florida does well with gun laws. I'm a transplant from Texas, and Florida seems to do much better. It always sucked in Texas that private businesses could restrict CC at will.

Good job Florida.

[Standing Wolf]

Hospitals in Colorado aren't prohibited places, though I've heard some individual hospitals exercise anti-Second Amendment bigotry. Signs don't carry the force of law here. If one's asked to leave and refuses, one can be ticketed for trespassing.

[egor20]

The best bet is to call your local Hospital's H&R.

Edit: My local hospital doesn't have a "No Gun" sign, although my local doc has a sign "No Guns without a CCW",

My wife has a smarmy sign outside of the clinic that says:

"If your animal is loaded,
Please
try to unloaded it out side"

[Shadi Khalil]

Every hospital I've been to (and I've been to alot) in VA, MD and obviously D.C have "no firearm" signs posted. Whether or not those signs are federally mandated I don't know.... Some time ago I had a horrible crohns flare up during christmas. On the way to the mall with my GF (at the time) I started to get violently ill. Despite my protest, my wife drove me to the hospital. I was rushed right in and once on the streacher I rolled over on my side, clutching my stomach in agony. The nurse pulled up my shirt and much to every ones horror, there was my 342PD in it's IWB holster. My GF quickly explained I had a CWP and showed her the card. The nurse let her pull it off my belt and run it to the car.

The next morning I explained to the nurse, my doctor and the head of security that because the revolver was so lite and I was so out of whack that I had completely forgotten about the gun. Since my I had to stay a few days, my GF brought me an overnight bag which was promptly searched. Although I hated the bag search, I understood their concern and felt like a complete idiot.

[Al Norris]

Originally Posted by hardcase

... you can't be arrested for carrying in the hospital, but they can have you removed and trespassed.

It would be more accurate to say that if your firearm was discovered and you were asked to leave and refused, then you could be cited for trespassing.

The reality is that if an officer shows and and asks/demands you leave and then you refuse - you might very well be arrested. If you leave when the officer asks/demands, you could still theoretically be cited, but the chances are pretty slim.

[rwilson452]

In PA hospitals are not off limits by law but private institutions can bar firearms. you can be told to leave and not bring it back. If you don't leave you can be charged with defiant trespass. That will get you hooked up and hauled off. If you leave and come back later with your firearm you can be charged with defiant trespass.

[teeroux]

Hospitals are a gray area. Some are private institutions as was mentioned earlier and some are even educational campuses. If there is no specific law you still may have to abide by the law and regulation by which the hospital is zoned.

[NukemJim]

The best bet is to call your local Hospital's H&R.

Uhmm, err, said hospital is located in Illinois.

The subject came up because of recent court cases, you may have heard of the case "McDonald v. Chicago"

The city also lost in an injunction in "Ezell v. City of Chicago"

And most hopefully the state will lose in "Shepard v. Madigan"

I consider it a most hopeful sign when people who are not "gunnies" are aware of these legal matters.


NukemJim

[egor20]

Uhmm, err, said hospital is located in Illinois.

Well thats nice of you to tell us that.

I know in Texas most (if not all) hospitals have a 30.06 sign on them forbiding CCW, do not know about other states.

[armsmaster270]

Ca is ok except in VA hospitals I think all VA hospitals nationwide ban them.

[NukemJim]

egor20.


Sorry if you did not read the original post. In it I specificly asked

Are there any states that allow CCW inside a hospital?

Nowhere did I ask about a specific hospital. I happen to know about Texas from family members who work in hospitals who I have visited with. So I knew the law in 2 states, Illinois which is "No" and Texas where the hospitals I have seen have been posted in accordance with 30.06.

If you choose to not read the question please do not get annoyed with me.

NukemJim

[Don P]

Hospitals are not on the state list of restrictions

[DaveandHisFireArm]

I can not tell you specifically which states ban firearms in hospitals. But I can tell you that there is no place for them in a hospital -- except security and perhaps other key personnel.

My reasoning, from experience in NV and MI as a hospital President, is that hospitals are VERY emotional places. High/Strong emotions and firearms are never a good mix. I have had to escort a number of visitors out to their cars so they could drop off their sidearm. Not because we had a "no guns" policy, but rather their emotional state suggested strongly that everyone was at an increased risk.

A simple example is a father of a young man who's girlfriend is giving birth and the mother is angry with the boyfriend and has told him to leave--"grandpa" arrives thinking he has rights to see his grandchild, well you can quickly see how that could get ugly, even without him and his 2nd amendment protected choice of sidearm.

I could go on with plenty of examples, but I'm sure you see the point.

[MLeake]

My problems with your take on that, Dave, are that those same people will have those same heightened emotions elsewhere. And your ban creates vulnerabilities for staff, patients, and families.

The nearest hospital to me, for instance, has a large meth clinic. If I need to go to the hospital for medical reasons, or because my RN wife might have to do some work, should I be disarmed because of the high traffic in meth heads? Or should I be armed, because of those same people? I would go with "armed."

Of course, as hospital president you would park in the bright lights right by the door. Most of us don't get that perk...

[RETG]

DaveandHisFireArm....from experience in NV and MI as a hospital President, is that hospitals are VERY emotional places. High/Strong emotions and firearms are never a good mix. I have had to escort a number of visitors out to their cars so they could drop off their sidearm. Not because we had a "no guns" policy...

In MI, it is against the law to carry a handgun into a hospital and even with a badge next to the holster, if you do not have a uniform and you are carrying a gun, some nurse may call security. Happened to me when I lived in MI. (Security told her it was legal for me to carry.)

[Crankylove]

as hospital president you would park in the bright lights right by the door. Most of us don't get that perk...

I worked in a hosptial here in S.L.C for four years, and got to walk nurses to thier cars every night............sometimes several blocks away. The only spots nice and close and under the lights were the for the hospital administration.........and the security officers. Those of us normal people got to hoof it a couple blocks after playing bumper cars for a parking spot.



I have no problem with someone legally carrying a concealed weapon in a hospital (and I do it myself whenever I make a visit to a patient, or friends that still work there). I have seen more people than I can count that get more upset over getting cutoff in traffic on the way to the hospital, or someone cutting in line at the gas station, than they do when they their family member or friend is struck with a life threatening condition, or dies.

If someone is going to commit aggresive acts due to emotional stimulus, they will do it whether or not they are carrying a gun, or any other weapon (humans have been killing each other with much less than a firearm for thousands of years, and doing it quite well).

Taking away my ability to defend myself, because someone else MAY not be able to control themselves only makes it easier for those who would harm others and disregard the rules and laws to start with.

I knew several doctors and nurses who carried every day (against the employers wishes........I had no handguns at the time, or I would have too), because even though we were in a "good" area, trouble still arises when you least expect it, and, as good and fast as our security was, they couldn't be everywhere at once. Running full speed from one side of the hospital to the other was 2-3 minutes...........and a lot can happen in 150 seconds.