KBCraig
Regular Member
imported post
Those of you who can post to TexasCHLforum.com might want to copy this.
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/editorial/2009/05/21/packing-heat-40.php
Packing Heat
College students may be allowed to carry guns in classrooms, dorms
[align=center]
Published: 05/21/2009[/align]Texas lawmakers are seriously considering a bill allowing guns in college classrooms.
The legislation would allow employees and students older than 21 to bring their guns into state college and university buildings, provided the individuals are licensed to carry concealed handguns. State schools would be bound by the bill. Private colleges could decide for themselves whether to allow guns on campus.
The Senate, after giving the measure a preliminary OK on Tuesday, passed the bill in a final vote Wednesday
Now it’s up to the state House to decide whether to send the bill to the governor or make supporters wait for the next session to try again. Only two weeks remain in the current legislative session.
It could happen, but the odds aren’t all that good. A similar bill died in the House last week. And Texas education officials are against the idea.
The bill is the brainchild of Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio. Wentworth says the massacre two years ago at Virginia State University led to his filing the bill. The idea is that if trained and licensed Texans are allowed to carry firearms on campus, it might prevent something similar from happening here, or at least allow a responsible firearms user to take action and perhaps take out a killer in time to save at least some lives.
Current law allows those licensed for concealed carry to have guns on state college grounds, but not inside buildings nor in athletic facilities such as stadiums. Guns at athletic events would still be off limits under Wentworth’s bill.
Only three other states—Colorado, Utah and West Virginia—allow college students to carry guns on campus.
Opponents of the bill include basically everyone involved in Texas higher education administration. Faculty and students groups have argued against passage. And law enforcement officials aren’t too keen on the idea either.
Those in favor seem to be limited to Wentworth, the Texas Rifle Association and other pro-gun groups and elected officials scared of the gun lobby.
So, is this a good idea?
Frankly, gun bans have never stopped any deranged individual from bringing weapons anywhere he or she wants to start shooting. Criminals and psychos don’t really pay a lot of attention to “gun free zones.”
Since current law allows guns on campus grounds, the only people effectively prohibited from bringing guns indoors are those trained and licensed by the state to have them. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.
We would like to see college officials have a bit more say in all of this, though. This bill basically bypasses those who actually run the schools. In particular, we would like to see school administrators have the authority to revoke campus firearm privileges for students—and there will be a few—who show they can’t be trusted to have them. Most gun owners are responsible, but some are not. And having a license doesn’t automatically make them so.
But any argument for the bill will be moot unless the House gets cracking. They don’t have much time to vote one way or the other.
Those of you who can post to TexasCHLforum.com might want to copy this.
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/editorial/2009/05/21/packing-heat-40.php
Packing Heat
College students may be allowed to carry guns in classrooms, dorms
[align=center]
Published: 05/21/2009[/align]Texas lawmakers are seriously considering a bill allowing guns in college classrooms.
The legislation would allow employees and students older than 21 to bring their guns into state college and university buildings, provided the individuals are licensed to carry concealed handguns. State schools would be bound by the bill. Private colleges could decide for themselves whether to allow guns on campus.
The Senate, after giving the measure a preliminary OK on Tuesday, passed the bill in a final vote Wednesday
Now it’s up to the state House to decide whether to send the bill to the governor or make supporters wait for the next session to try again. Only two weeks remain in the current legislative session.
It could happen, but the odds aren’t all that good. A similar bill died in the House last week. And Texas education officials are against the idea.
The bill is the brainchild of Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio. Wentworth says the massacre two years ago at Virginia State University led to his filing the bill. The idea is that if trained and licensed Texans are allowed to carry firearms on campus, it might prevent something similar from happening here, or at least allow a responsible firearms user to take action and perhaps take out a killer in time to save at least some lives.
Current law allows those licensed for concealed carry to have guns on state college grounds, but not inside buildings nor in athletic facilities such as stadiums. Guns at athletic events would still be off limits under Wentworth’s bill.
Only three other states—Colorado, Utah and West Virginia—allow college students to carry guns on campus.
Opponents of the bill include basically everyone involved in Texas higher education administration. Faculty and students groups have argued against passage. And law enforcement officials aren’t too keen on the idea either.
Those in favor seem to be limited to Wentworth, the Texas Rifle Association and other pro-gun groups and elected officials scared of the gun lobby.
So, is this a good idea?
Frankly, gun bans have never stopped any deranged individual from bringing weapons anywhere he or she wants to start shooting. Criminals and psychos don’t really pay a lot of attention to “gun free zones.”
Since current law allows guns on campus grounds, the only people effectively prohibited from bringing guns indoors are those trained and licensed by the state to have them. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.
We would like to see college officials have a bit more say in all of this, though. This bill basically bypasses those who actually run the schools. In particular, we would like to see school administrators have the authority to revoke campus firearm privileges for students—and there will be a few—who show they can’t be trusted to have them. Most gun owners are responsible, but some are not. And having a license doesn’t automatically make them so.
But any argument for the bill will be moot unless the House gets cracking. They don’t have much time to vote one way or the other.
