Jonathan Reid

The Republic | azcentral.com

The Gilbert Council voted to allow permit holders carry concealed firearms in public buildings

Firearms had previously been illegal in all Gilbert public buildings

The ordinance was viewed as a "compromise" by council members, who were divided on the subject in 2013

Update:Gun owners with a state permit are still prohibited from carrying firearms in "secure areas" of public buildings, including employee-only areas, police and fire department facilities, and the Gilbert Municipal Court and Prosecutor's Office.

Gun owners with a state permit can now carry a concealed firearm inside all Gilbert public buildings, reversing a previous policy that made such deadly weapons illegal.

But those without a concealed-carry weapon permit can be asked by a police officer to place their firearms in a gun locker, according to an ordinance approved last week by the Gilbert Council.

The town council updated the code so it reflects a 2006 state law, which requires public establishments to offer gun lockers in places where individuals without permits are banned from carrying their weapons. Firearms had previously been banned in all public buildings, but the code did not specify for them to placed in a locker.

Town staff had proposed an ordinance that would keep firearms illegal, but it was amended by Councilman Victor Petersen to make an exception for concealed-carry permit holders.

"In my view the current proposal that staff has provided is a violation of Second Amendment rights," Petersen said during the Dec. 18 meeting. "It maintains the same bad honor system, gun free zone policy of the past."

Petersen added another amendment making it so only police officers can ask those carrying a firearm to put it in a gun locker. The original proposal would have allowed town staff to ask as well.

Vice Mayor Eddie Cook, who has been more apprehensive about allowing guns in public buildings, called it a "good compromise," saying that a permit holder "is probably the type of person that would be honest and law-abiding."

"That individual who gets a permit has been given some training that's been sanctioned, they are fingerprinted and also have a criminal background check," Cook said.

Before voting for the ordinance, Mayor John Lewis voiced concerns among town staff about allowing firearms in public buildings.

"Some said they would be fearful and it would cause a tremendous amount of stress for them if someone walked in with a weapon," Lewis said.

Council members first discussed updating the town's weapon policy in June 2013, but were unable to find a compromise.

Petersen and Councilman Jared Taylor wanted to make guns legal in all public buildings, but could not garner enough support from the rest of council.

In August 2013, the council voted to keep firearms illegal, but it was reversed when Cook had a change of heart the following month, and no further action was taken.

Although he voted for the most recent ordinance last week, Cook wants town staff to look further into the policies of neighboring cities.

Last week's measure was approved 6-1, with Councilman Ben Cooper voting in dissent. Cooper, whose term ends in January, did not seek reelection.