According to the Wall Street Journal on Feb. 8th:

State Trooper Jason Melson guards the Texas Capitol in Austin after a Jan. 21 shooting on the steps outside the building.

Lawmakers in firearm-friendly Texas are embroiled in a debate over how to make the state Capitol safer: get rid of guns or encourage even more.

The discussion comes after a man last month fired several shots on the steps of the towering Capitol in Austin. State troopers tackled him and no one was wounded, but the incident spotlighted a predicament for lawmakers in a state where carrying handguns is not only legal but largely cherished.

Lawmakers, some of whom regularly show up armed to the job, have to sort through an array of safety options.

They range from prohibiting guns in the Capitol, making everyone who steps into the building go through a metal detector, to exempting those who have a license to carry a concealed weapon. Or lawmakers could stick with current safety procedures, which permit unfettered access to all areas of the Capitol when the legislature isn't in session, effectively allowing access to people carrying guns.

Gov. Rick Perry, a concealed-weapon licensee himself who was endorsed by the National Rifle Association in his bid for re-election, is of the view that lawful gun-carrying Texans deter criminals from drawing their weapons for fear of being outnumbered. "The last thing I want is for the Texas Capitol to turn into DFW Airport," he said at a recent news conference.

But others question whether civilians' right to carry firearms should extend to the seat of state government, which is visited daily by thousands of tourists and citizens with legislative business, some of whom who aren't always happy about lawmakers' decisions.

State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, a Democrat from Austin, favors banning the guns at the Capitol. "If you ask me point blank, I'll have to say we should not compromise on this issue," he said.......

But in 1995, then-Gov. George W. Bush signed a bill that allowed anyone who was cleared by a background check and took a course, among other requirements, to carry a concealed weapon in a variety of places, including the Capitol. More recently however, a rule was put in place that requires visitors who want to witness lawmakers in action from the galleries to go through a metal detector.

On Jan. 21, 24-year-old Fausto Cardenas entered the building looking to meet privately with staff at the office of state Sen. Dan Patrick, a Republican who represents the Houston area. After his request was denied, he exited the Capitol and fired.....

"Some people outside of Texas may have this view that we're a gun-toting society; we're not," said Mr. Patrick, who believes licensees provide an added layer of security due to their training. "We're a state that has responsible gun owners."

Mr. Rodriguez believes security should be left to police. Armed volunteers could do more harm than help by confusing security officers if they pull out a weapon to defuse a dangerous situation, he said. "Who's going to know who's the good guy and who's the bad guy?"

Neither Mr. Patrick, nor Mr. Rodriguez is part of a task force that is studying several options to improve security, but they have sent in their suggestions.