SAN ANTONIO – A noticeable change at San Antonio City Hall is raising questions after the city removed signs that had banned licensed handgun owners from entry points, allowing licensed gun owners into City Council meetings.
For years, 30.06 and 30.07 signs restricting firearms were posted at every entrance of City Hall. Those signs, which had been posted since 2015, are now gone.
The city made the change after the Texas attorney general’s office sent a letter saying San Antonio was improperly excluding licensed handgun holders from open meetings. The letter states the attorney general received citizen complaints about license holders being denied access to City Council meetings.
District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte said the city was notified it must allow licensed carriers into public spaces such as City Council meetings. “We got notified by our state government that if you are licensed to carry a weapon, you should be allowed to bring those weapons into spaces like this, which are public spaces, city council meetings,” Whyte said.
Whyte said the city must follow the requirement, whether a weapon is concealed or holstered. He added, “Folks will, I guess, sit in a certain section and abide by whatever our police officers’ rules are, that’s the way we’re going to proceed.”
Not all council members support the change. Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran said, “It is a concern for me, because this is a real threat. We’ve seen it,” and added, “I don’t think it’s the right course of action, but unfortunately we just have to be on our guard and be really hypersensitive to our surroundings.” She also said, “It’s why we’ve kind of moved the B session to try out at the chambers for the council meetings, just because it just becomes a different situation when you can open carry.”
Gun rights advocates argue that law-abiding citizens should be allowed to carry guns to protect themselves and others. “With the limited number of resources that our cities have, as far as law enforcement, it’s really a good example to let law abiding citizens and people in greater numbers carry, so that we can try to prevent mass shootings and loss of life,” said Alison Adams.
District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears encouraged residents to continue participating in city government. “We want you to come and engage with us and continue to have your voices heard. This is a measure where we feel confident that we are safe in our in our building,” Spears said.
San Antonio police said they have increased safety protocols to ensure a safe environment for everyone.
In a statement, Assistant Director of Communications Brian Chasnoff said, “On April 29, 2026, the City of San Antonio updated its policy to allow current handgun license holders to carry firearms into open public meetings at City Hall and Municipal Plaza, consistent with state law. The change was made following review of the issue raised by the Texas Attorney General’s Office.”
Chasnoff added, “Both A and B sessions will now be held in City Council chambers, and the San Antonio Police Department has increased safety protocols in response to the change. We will continue working to ensure City meetings remain safe, orderly and accessible to the public.”