• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Please clarify legal places to carry

Dieselcrawler

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
41
Location
New Martinsville, WV
It is not clear to me where I can and cannot carry... sure, the clearly stated places, court houses, post offices, schools, those are a no-brainer.

But what about other places? Are state agencies places I should not carry?

I normally carry concealed, for sevral reasons, and have had my permit for about 2 years now.

Today I had to visit the unemployment office, and entered un-armed. Sure enough, as I was sitting there waiting, a disgruntaled, obviously short on cash, and somewhat obnoxious person loudly voiced his displeasure and stormed out. Not a real issue, but a situation that could easily get out of hand, and leave myself and others in the waiting area in harms way. And I'm wishing I had not come in without the comfort of my G26 safely tucked in my pocket.

The unemplyment office is run by what I assume are state employees, in a store front at a local strip mall. No gun-buster signage on the building anywhere. Do state offices such as this quallify as 'federal buildings' where I should not carry? It's state employees, state organization, not federal. Or do they fall under the protection of the 'federal buildings' wording in the places one is alowd to or not to carry?

The local hospital is county owned and operated. It did NOT have gun-buster signs for years, and I carried there when visiting friends or working there as a contractor. It recently posted the signs and symbols, no guns. Or tobacco for that matter... Should I have not carried there before the signs went up? No one besides me ever knew, so it's a moot point now, but what are your thoughts? Obviously, I obay the signs now posted.

What about the local city building/city hall? No signs, but is it a place I'm just supost to know is off-limits? It also houses, on the upper floor, the city police dept. No city-wide ban in place I'm aware of, like Chas/Dunbar.

Any input is welcome... I simply want to carry as meny places as possible, but legally. Thanks in advance...
 

Dieselcrawler

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
41
Location
New Martinsville, WV
Thanks for your reply... however, I had read that page, and gone over parts of it a few times, and still was left wondering what to do. The wording seems to say that it's not ok to carry on the state capitol complex, but doesn't clarify if offices of state employees in other cities are concidered part of the state complex, because of the state employees working there. Also has a bit about the city of Chas/Dunbar, and the limits there, but only there. So no signage at the local city hall, and it should be ok? If there is a local ordnance, wouldn't they have signs up? Or make it more widely known that there are places off-limits?

What about state parks? Nothing is said about them... ok to carry there?

The fact that I carry concealed should make it a non-issues unless someone were to know that I was armed, and was confronted about it by LEOs. At which time I would simply ask for clarification of the gray areas, as I would not knowingly carry where I am not alowed to do so. I do not want to jepordize my CC permit, nor my 2A rights.
 

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
The way the laws in the USA work, if there's not a law against something then it's legal.

So unless someone can show you a statute saying you're not allowed to be armed in a state park, you're allowed to be armed in a state park. Even if there were a law against it, you'd probably be allowed in your tent or rented room or cabin, as it becomes your dwelling while you're there. (IANAL, so ask one to be sure.)

As for the "state capitol complex" question... if the offices you're asking about are on the same chunk of land, I'd say they're part of the complex. You're saying they're in other cities, so they can't be part of that complex.

Were there any laws discussed in any classes you've taken w/r/t self-defense or concealed carry?
Or were there any laws printed in the instructions or on the form you used to apply for your carry license?
If so, reviewing those would be a good step. Find your state's codes online & do searches for keywords related to your questions.
Also, from the front page of OCDO (not the forum, but the main page) there's a link to look at state information. Check out WV there.
Then go to the WV PDF available through the map at www.handgunlaw.us Not only do they discuss lots of applicable laws, the first page has links to various state websites so you can read them for yourself.
 
Last edited:

Ex Pat

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2012
Messages
37
Location
Uniontown, PA
See this old discussion from Jim Mullins about state park carry: http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?57076-Carrying-in-WV-State-Parks

Carry in state parks must be concealed in WV and here is why: State parks have legislative rules which ban all uncased firearms here: http://www.wvstateparks.com/reg_3.htm. The DNR cites WV Code 20-1-7 as their authority to due so, and WV Code 20-2-6a makes an exception for concealed carry to "any provision of this code to the contrary". So you can carry in WV state parks, it just has to be concealed. Please see the links below for reference, or call or email the DNR. They are typically OK with concealed, but open is a differenct story.


Link to WV Code 20-1-7: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=20&art=1&section=7#01

Link to WV Code 20-2-6a: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=20&art=2&section=6A#02

Still working office buildings....................most are posted with signs that I have seen.

I am not an attorney, but Jim Mullins was, and a very gracious one with his time when it came to sorting through WV's natural resource code.
 

Dieselcrawler

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
41
Location
New Martinsville, WV
To all that replyed: Thank you for your input... I will check out the links you provided, and also search thru my stuff to find the paperwork from when I got my concealed carry permit. We moved about a year ago, and nothing is where it can be found easily.

Good to know about the state park details...

Take care all...
 
Top