Public-buildings gun law eased

The law requires governments to provide citizens a safe and convenient place to store weapons if they're to be prohibited from public buildings.

A survey of Tucson-area governments shows only Sahuarita has installed gun lockers in all its municipal buildings.

Most government buildings open to the public — from administration buildings to park recreation centers — historically have been gun-free zones.

If they want to stay that way, they need to have secure gun storage so as not to inconvenience gun owners.

That's actually been the law since 2000, but many governments interpreted that to mean one gun locker at a courthouse or police station was adequate.

Some governments are now scrambling to comply with the law, but many have no plans to install gun lockers at parks buildings and libraries.

"Just let them in," said County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, noting that it's rare for people to even try to bring guns into libraries and rec centers.

That would be fine with gun-rights advocates, though it alarms some parents.

At the urging of gun-rights advocates, new language was added to the law in the last legislative session. It states that storage must be "readily accessible on entry into the establishment or event and allow for the immediate retrieval of the weapon on exit."

The law applies to all public buildings, including libraries and recreation centers.

A separate law bans guns in parks, unless the owner has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Charles Heller, a founder of the Arizona Citizens Defense League, helped craft the new language. He said its intent was to inconvenience government enough so that it just lets people take their guns into public places.

Todd Rathner, an NRA board member who lives in Tucson, said that would be the best option.

"If the gun is in the locker, you can't use it to defend yourself," he said. "And a holstered gun is a safe gun. If you have to start handling it, that's when accidents happen."

But if local governments don't want guns in public buildings, the gun owner shouldn't be inconvenienced, he said.

"If we hear people are being sent down the street or around the corner to the police station, that's a problem," Rathner said.

That's just what Oro Valley plans to keep doing. People with guns are directed to the police station, which is part of a sprawling municipal complex.

And the town has no intention of adding more gun lockers.

"We consider ourselves complying with the law," said Bob Kovitz, a spokesman for Oro Valley. Because the police station is in the municipal complex, the locker should be considered accessible, he said.

That attitude frustrates some gun owners.

"Let us assume that citizens took that view of the law — we're not going to comply with that law because it's not convenient," Heller said. "What would government's reaction be?"

Rathner said many city attorneys "underinterpreted" the 2000 law."

"They basically tried to weasel out of it," he said. "Sometimes lawyers have a hard time understanding the law."

Heller and Rathner said they have asked gun owners to let them know if they are not allowed to take their weapons into any public buildings.

Rathner said the city of Tucson long has been one of the best about accommodating gun owners. The city has a gun locker at City Hall and another at the Tucson Convention Center.

The city plans to add one at City Court, and City Attorney Mike Rankin said secure storage can be as simple as a locked drawer.

"The other alternative is to let them in," he said.

That's the same approach the county is taking. Facilities Director Mike Tuinstra plans to order quarter-operated gun safes for the six downtown administration buildings. The safes cost between $1,000 and $1,500.

The Joel D. Valdez Main Library already has a gun safe, which has been used just once or twice in the last five years, but branch libraries do not.

Huckelberry said he doesn't see much need for a gun safe if owners bring them in just once every few years.

Library Director Nancy Ledeboer said city libraries long have banned weapons, but in Arivaca, patrons bring their guns in the library all the time.

Beverly Johns, who frequents the Himmel Park Library with her 5-year-old daughter, said she grew up hunting and shooting, but she doesn't want weapons in areas frequented by children.

"Why would you need a gun in the library?" she said. "That's scary. I would like a gun locker for Himmel Park."

l Tucson: Provides gun lockers at City Hall and the Tucson Convention Center. Plans to provide gun storage at City Court but not at other buildings.

l Marana: Provides a gun locker at the town court. Is considering adding them at Town Hall and the operations center.

l Oro Valley: Provides a gun locker at the police station. No plans for additional gun lockers. Bars guns from public buildings.

l Sahuarita: Provides gun lockers at the Town Hall complex, Anamax Park, the wastewater-treatment plant police station and Municipal Court.

l South Tucson: Bars guns from public property. Has no gun lockers but will install them.

l Pima County: Provides gun lockers at Superior Court. Plans to provide gun lockers at Downtown administrative buildings, but not at libraries and park recreation centers. Guns are not allowed in county buildings.

Guns are banned from parks under a separate state law, unless the owner has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.