Their start day had been a secret, but now, the new metal detectors are up and running at the Texas Capitol.
You can find them at all four public entrances on the building’s first floor. All visitors, including schoolchildren, are required to use them. Lawmakers and credentialed staff members are not.
On Friday, the changes appeared to go smoothly.
“Security is fine,” said Ron George, tourist. “In this day and age you have got to have it.”
“You know it’s a little bit more of a precaution, which is always good,” said Capitol worker Amy Benya.
The new measures were approved against Governor Perry’s wishes yet amid the fallout from a scare that happened earlier this year.
In January, Fausto Cardenas was allegedly able to enter the Capitol with a gun. Police say he later fired shots from the south steps.
Though no one was hurt, the Department of Public Safety recommended metal detectors and X-ray belts like the ones at Austin’s City Hall. The X-rays have yet to go in at the Capitol.
Though the changes come at an estimated cost of $3 million, some visitors agree that they are warranted.
“Maybe it’s cheap in the long run,” George said. “What would it cost to replace even a portion of this building?"
From now on, bags will be checked. Criminal statutes will apply to people who attempt to bring in unauthorized weapons.
Wheelchair-bound visitors will be checked with handheld wands.
But perhaps the most controversial part of the change is that some people outside of law enforcement will still be able to enter the building with guns. They can enter with a gun if they have a valid concealed weapons permit and their driver’s license.
