Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

Hon. %. Soanlu AasiatrntCountyAttorney Brow County Broarsville,Texas Dow Mr. sosdLnc opinioaNOBD,O-206 Be: Authorityof the sheriffto grant oerhin personsthe privilegeof owryilg arms0 Your requertfor am opinionon thq,questioastatedabove haa beem re- oeived by thin offioa. Ue with to thank you for the very able brisf pnseat- ad by you with your im~uiriea. It has beerrof great assistantsin passing upoa,thaquwtiona presentode Artiole463 of the Pen81 Code of Texae reads in follows: "W~oaver shill 08x-q 011or about hlo prom, aaddle,or in his saddlebags any pistol,dirk, dagger,slingshot, sword cum, spear, or kmuokle~~ made of 8q melal or uy bud substanoe,bmie knife, or uy otherknife manufao- tured or sold for the purposw of offemssor defense,shall be punished by fine not less thaa $100.00nor more thaa $600.00or Iy oonfiaeme* in jail for not less than om@ month nor more ti!~aOM yerr.' There are o er t8ia lxoeptioarmnda to thin Artiole,and those @xoop- tioan are found in th+ succeedingArtiole desigmatedNo. 484 of the Penal Code, ahioh is LO follorar "The precedingartiolsshall not apply to a person in roturl sex-v- iw as a militirmu, nor to any peace offiasrin the 'actualdisohrge of his offioialduty, nor to the ourying of arma on onets ovumpremisesor plaoe of business,nor to personstraveling,nor to wy deputy constable, or specialpolioemu who rbosivesa oompemsationof forty dollarsor more per month for his servioesas s1+91officer,and who is'appoieed in 6on- fodty with the statutesauthorizingsuoh appointiemt~aor to the Dma, Fish ud Oyster Coxmniro%onc)r, )Iorto rnj deh$y iha 18 the-a&tutidim- oharge of hir dutieo U tirehi-norto uy~guu11‘7iwd0@, or local deputy Gane,.Fish and OysterCcanmissionsrnhea in the actual dischargeof his duties5~ the coumtyof his residemoe,nor shall it apply to any game nrdtn or deputyGWUJ, Msh and @vter &mmissioaer who aotuallyrooeivos from'th.sState fees or compensationfor his sezM.oeo." The eases of Moore v. State, 86 Crimiaal Reports,end BnksrV. S&tsrfield, 111 Saw. 437, hold in effeotthat an individualifrizsd HcLllu. Scanlan- Page 2 (o-206) to orrry L pistolupon his m premiseaud while engagedin the pi-form- anoe of his duty at his pl~oe of tiusiasss, and that suoh individualis authorizedunder the 1rfft.ooury 8 proto going to and returaiagfrom his place of residence,providedthat in making such trips, he does not go out of the regularcourse of travel. When not returniaghome or going to his plaoe of busiaess,such individualhas PO authorityto carry 8 pistol,and in doiag so would violateArticle 483 of the Wnrl Code- Invies of the 8Iwmrmentionedauthorities,it is the opinionof this depwtment, and you are rsspeotfullyadvised,that the sheriffor any other authorityhas no right or Power to authorizeanyone to aarry PXITLS which at-? prohibitedby Article463 of the Pea.1 Cods. Truofingthat the 8bove amowersyour inquiry,wnr8ro Yours vary truly ATTORNEYGENERALOF TEXAS By /s/llrdelllRlliams Ardell Rlliams ALssistant APPRUJEDZ /s/Gerald C. &in ATTORNBYGENERALCFTEXAS