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Opinions about carring on state universitiy and college campuses

Bluesheepdog_WA

New member
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
1
Location
Washington State
Hello everyone,

Ok so getting my feet wet here at OC.org by jumping in with both feet LOL.

I have a question about carrying on college campuses. I know no one here claims to be an attorney and this site does not give legal advice, I am just looking for personal opinions from folks who have a vested interest in both open carry and CPL carry.

RCW 9.41.290, the "state preemption" law specifically states that the State "...fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state, including the registration, licensing, possession, purchase, sale, acquisition, transfer, discharge, and transportation of firearms...". I understand that RCW to mean that the Legislature alone decides where a CPL holder or open carry advocate may carry their firearm.

RCW 9.41.300 lists the places that any carry (with or without a CPL) is prohibited, and that law only covers K-12 schools, not state owned colleges or universities specifically.

So, by that examination of the law, isn't the prohibition of firearms possession on the state universities and the state community/technical colleges a de facto violation of both our Constitutional rights and the existing state law governing firearms possession? Shouldn't the state preemption law nullify any campus rule or policy that states you cannot carry on campus?

The way I see it, if you can be trusted to legally own a firearm (no criminal/mental health issues) and if you also passed a background check for a CPL, you should be trusted to responsibly carry your firearm to campus, especially in light of the recent rise in campus violence and the budget shortfalls that many cities and counties are still struggling with that have negatively impacted their law enforcement capabilities.

We have nearly 400 thousand folks in this state with CPLs that legally and responsibly carry their firearms every day, and God alone knows how many open carry citizens and the overwhelming majority of those folks do so without any incidents or problems. It is disgraceful to me that the colleges and universities somehow find those same responsible, law abiding people to be instantly untrustworthy just because they walk onto their campus with a firearm, and they do so without the legal authority to prohibit those same firearms.

What do the people here think of that?
 

OlGutshotWilly

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
443
Location
Snohomish, WA, ,
Bluedog,
Welcome to OCDO and the WA sub forum.

Although I know you are requesting "opinions", you might start by searching for threads that discuss the legal aspects of doing so. There are good discussions already posted on this subject.

One good thread to start with that is not too old, and thus relevant, is: http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?104846-OC-and-or-CC-on-the-WWU-Campus


I just noticed that it was started by "The Big Dog", a relative by chance? ;)

Once again, welcome :)
 

deanf

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
1,789
Location
N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
Shouldn't the state preemption law nullify any campus rule or policy that states you cannot carry on campus?


No, because public colleges and universities are state agencies. They are not "
Cities, towns, and counties or other municipalities . . ." as listed in .290.

I'm not saying these administrative rules aren't illegal - just that preemption is the wrong argument. The State can't preempt itself, that's a legal absurdity.

The proper argument is a constitutional one.
 

Alpine

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
671
Location
Idaho
There is a theory that the WACs that allow campuses to ban firearms are pre-empted by the RCWs, and thus that campuses could only use economic and educational sanctions against employees and students but fail to touch a law abiding citizen walking on campus, however, as far as I know I know of no caselaw that backs that up, and I'm not a lawyer. Guess everyone is waiting to see who is willing to be a test case.
 

EMNofSeattle

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,670
Location
S. Kitsap, Washington state
There is a theory that the WACs that allow campuses to ban firearms are pre-empted by the RCWs, and thus that campuses could only use economic and educational sanctions against employees and students but fail to touch a law abiding citizen walking on campus, however, as far as I know I know of no caselaw that backs that up, and I'm not a lawyer. Guess everyone is waiting to see who is willing to be a test case.

All of the WACs are plainly written to apply to students and faculty. when I was at Olympic College they had a student code of conduct (WAC-132C-120-065) and one of the provisions was a student could not possess or carry a firearm "except for law enforcement officers" one of my classmates was a civilian DOD police officer for the Bremerton Naval Base and he carried a gun (concealed) using that section....

also when I was a student someone found out the employment code didn't apply to adjunct faculty, and there was an article in the skrool paper about how these evil adjunct professors could carry guns and pose a safety risk to students..... :rolleyes:
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
It's not about preemption its about following the law, the law states where they are banned and not, agencies don't have the authority to go above that law.
 

EMNofSeattle

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,670
Location
S. Kitsap, Washington state
It's not about preemption its about following the law, the law states where they are banned and not, agencies don't have the authority to go above that law.

I suppose it depends how far the government has to contract, there is no criminal penalty to carrying a firearm on a university campus. they can't fine you or jail you (well they can but it would be illegal as hell and grounds for a ripe civil suit) it's merely a tenant of a contract you sign, you pay and follow their rules and they provide you a service in return. if you break their rules they no longer have to provide you the service. termination of contract just like anywhere else.....
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
No, because public colleges and universities are state agencies. They are not "[/COLOR]Cities, towns, and counties or other municipalities . . ." as listed in .290.

I'm not saying these administrative rules aren't illegal - just that preemption is the wrong argument. The State can't preempt itself, that's a legal absurdity.

The proper argument is a constitutional one.

I must disagree..."The State government" that preempts all else is the state legislature, and only the state legislature. Look in the RCW's that fit any of the colleges and universities and show me where they are specifically authorized to regulate firearms on their campus? The only reason they have not been forced to change their WAC's is no-one has bothered to take them to court.

To the OP. College and University WAC's that prohibit firearms only of interest to students and faculty, not the general public in areas that are open to the general public. UW's WAC says no-one but security can be armed, WSU says students cannot be armed (but WSU does not restrict faculity). South Sound CC says nothing about firearms, though I hear there is a push to get them to change that.
 
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deanf

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
1,789
Location
N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
Look in the RCW's that fit any of the colleges and universities and show me where they are specifically authorized to regulate firearms on their campus?


I didn't say they are authorized. They aren't. I said preemption is the wrong argument.
 
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