Bill expanding gun rights for Oklahoma municipal employees heads to governor’s desk

OKLAHOMA CITY — House lawmakers on Wednesday sent a measure to the governor to allow elected officials to carry firearms at approved municipal buildings, despite concerns it could intimidate constituents.

House Bill 1095 would allow elected municipal officials, including judges, with a valid firearm license to carry concealed guns in any building leased or owned by the city or town in their jurisdiction with the approval of a city council or governing board. The bill excludes locations that are used to process, hold or house prisoners or people under arrest, like courthouses, courtrooms, prisons, jails or detention facilities.

Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa, said this is already being done at the county level and this bill expands it to the city level.

“This is an option, so it’s not a mandate,” he said. “Any city council can designate firearm prohibited locations or not.”

It could extend to a “meter reader” being able to carry firearms, if they were designated by the city and working in their jurisdictional location, Hildebrant said.

Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, said she is worried this could intimidate constituents or make people feel uncomfortable talking to their elected officials.

“I want us to be safe. I want our municipal folks to be safe,” she said. “But I worry that this broad of a bill kind of creates this environment where people might be intimidated. Not everybody is as supportive of guns and that can kind of be an intimidation factor.”

Hildebrant said he has not received any negative feedback on this legislation from counties who have this measure in place.

Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, who voted in favor of it, said he was frustrated by the process he had to go through as former mayor of Elk City to carry a firearm at work. He said he was required to go through law enforcement training and earn armed security guard status to be able to carry his gun at city hall.

The bill was previously amended by the Senate, but now heads to the governor after House lawmakers approved the amendments 70-15 along party lines.

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