DALLAS -- Visitors to the Houston Zoo can now pack a little something extra besides a camera and picnic basket.
The nearly century-old institution recently lifted its longtime firearms ban amid a broader push by gun-rights advocates who are pressuring zoos in Texas and elsewhere to do the same.
That ban's lifting came as California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill Saturday making it against the law for concealed-carry permit holders to bring handguns onto school campuses.
Gun-rights supporters say publicly owned zoos have misinterpreted laws and are illegally posting signs that ban firearms. Some zoos have countered calls for policy changes by claiming they are considered amusement parks, day cares or educational institutions -- venues that legally can enforce gun bans in many states.
An advocacy group in Texas is singling out zoos under a newly enacted state law allowing complaints about unlawful gun restrictions to be forwarded to the state's attorney general for potential steep fines. Similar efforts have occurred elsewhere, including in Missouri where the St. Louis Zoo went to court to prevent an Ohio man from bringing a gun to the zoo to test its no-weapons policy.
"I am not anti-zoo," said Edwin Walker with Texas Law Shield, the group that recently filed complaints against the Houston and Dallas zoos. "I guarantee there's not going to be a license-holder that's going to go to the zoo and shoot a baby giraffe in front of schoolchildren."
Americans remain divided over the question of gun laws. Gun-control advocates say a series of mass shootings proves the need for tighter regulations on purchasing and carrying weapons. But many gun enthusiasts argue just the opposite, saying citizens should have the right to carry firearms in public places to defend themselves from potential attackers.
Many zoos across the country -- from Milwaukee to Omaha, Neb. -- do not allow guns. But laws vary by state. In Kentucky, for instance, a 2012 law revision permits people to openly carry firearms into facilities owned by municipalities, such as libraries, parks and zoos.
The Houston Zoo has already felt backlash after the city ordered it Sept. 10 to take down its no-gun signs because it operates on public land. Parents and children gathered last month to greet zoo visitors with warnings about the policy change.
"There are places in our public lives where guns are inappropriate," Stephanie Lundy, a mother attending the protest, told KHOU-TV. "And the zoo is one of those places."
Texas authorizes licensed gun owners to carry concealed weapons in public, but the law exempts a variety of places -- amusement parks, churches and schools, among them -- and officials at the state's larger zoos cite some of those exemptions in arguing that firearms are not permitted.
The St. Louis Zoo made a similar argument in June when it won a temporary restraining order against the Ohio man, saying that allowing guns "will cause a chilling effect" on zoo visitors.
The Fort Worth Zoo says it's licensed as a day-care facility, and the Dallas Zoo contends it's considered both an amusement park and an educational institution.
"We continue to believe that we're complying with state law," said Dallas Zoo spokesman Laurie Holloway.
In a complaint sent last month to Dallas Zoo officials, Walker argues that the zoo "does not offer any degrees, have any standardized course of study, nor is it certified or overseen by any state educational agency. Further, the Dallas Zoo does not meet the definition of 'amusement park' ... in that it does not have amusement rides."
Walker said he'd consider filing a complaint with the attorney general's office but first wants to see if the zoo provides a written response.
Meanwhile, the Houston Zoo is reviewing legal options in light of evolving gun laws, spokesman Jackie Wallace said. Zoo officials previously believed they could ban firearms because the zoo offered an "educational attraction" for children and others.
California's new law, Senate Bill 707, bolsters existing restrictions in the state that prohibit the possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school or college campus without written permission from administrators.
Gun-rights groups like the National Rifle Association came out strongly against SB 707.
"Senate Bill 707 would lead to the unjust prosecution of otherwise law-abiding firearm owners. It is a solution in search of a problem. SB 707 is yet another misguided bill that only impacts law-abiding [concealed-carry] permit holders while doing nothing to reduce crime," the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action said on its website prior to the bill being signed into law.
The Firearms Policy Coalition said it will file a federal civil lawsuit against California over the concealed-carry legislation.
Information for this article was contributed by David Warren of The Associated Press and by David Knowles and Bernie Kohn of Bloomberg News.
A Section on 10/13/2015