Texas Campus Carry Bill Filed

[csmkersh]

The full articel is HERE

New lawmaker files guns on campus bill
Bill comes in the wake of the UT shooting

Updated: Wednesday, 10 Nov 2010, 7:13 PM CST
Published : Wednesday, 10 Nov 2010, 1:51 PM CST

* Josh Hinkle

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A newly elected Texas state lawmaker is paving the way for the upcoming legislative session’s debate over guns on campus. Rep.-elect David Simpson , R-Longview, filed House Bill 86 this week, which would allow college students who have a concealed carry license to bring their guns to school.

This bill is similar to legislation filed by Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, and Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, in the previous session. That legislation passed in the Senate but failed to make it through the House.

[ClickClickD'oh]

Just college students, or all of us that legally carry?

[csmkersh]

I contacted Rep Elect Simpson's office and HB 86 allowing for the concealed carry of a handgun on a college campus does provide for any one with a concealed handgun license to carry on a campus.

[Jaguar]

From the article...

After this year’s shooting at UT, President Bill Powers reiterated his opposition, telling KXAN, “We want to keep guns off of our campus.”

UT student Colton Tooley, 19, opened fire inside the campus library on Sept. 28. No students were harmed in the incident, though Tooley fatally shot himself.

So, he wants to keep guns off campus, and right now it is illegal to carry a gun on campus. Yet, Tooley broke the law and carried a gun on campus. The law did not stop Tooley.

Maybe what Bill Powers meant to say was, "We want to keep legal guns off of our campus."

[Hugo]

I think it's all who have a concealed carry license, not just students. Never know when you might go back to college.

[billyjmc]

It looks like we're shooting ourselves in the foot again; the bill explicitly prevents private colleges and universities from self-regulation on this issue.

I think legalization state-wide and preemption at public institutions only is the way to go, but that's just me, I suppose.

I'm sure most private schools will enact rules disallowing carry as a CYA measure, but that's still better than not getting this thing enacted in the first place.

I'm open to arguments to the contrary.

[csmkersh]

If you give private colleges the option to opt out and they do and a shooting then occurs, the colleges should be held liable for any deaths or injuries. After all, their actions would have provided a target rich environment.

[Owens]

If I remember correctly, the bill from last session (2009) got amended to allow the private institutions to prohibit CC, But....it had to be voted on by the campus population. In other words, some may allow, others may prohibit and it could change from semester to semester. Again if I remember correctly, this was one of the stumbling points that without this amendment, thew bill would not have made the progress that it did. The votes were there in both house and senate and the governor was poised with pen to sign it. Calendars and chubbing held it back so it never came up for final vote.

Things should be different this session as there is what they call a super majority and the balance looks favorable to CC. No guarantees though. Redistricting is up this year and will take priority. Also look for similar watering down amendments to get attached.

I could be wrong on all this and if so, won't be the last time.

[Dale00]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/polit...-on-campus.ece

According to the article the legislation is "poised to pass." I sure hope it does. It will give the nation a second state where campus carry is legal and make it almost impossible for the anti's to keep claiming "the world is going to end."

[sdprof]

Second state? UT and CO clearly allow campus carry, and many other states have no laws against it.

SD, for example. But campus carry is "prohibited" by the university regents. Oh wait, only faculty, staff and students are covered by that prohibition.

[billyjmc]

I just learned that SB 1581 passed in the senate; that bill was amended to include the text of HB 86, the original campus carry bill (which itself had passed the house a month+ ago). The companion bill to SB 1581 is HB 3639, which has been postponed as of today. I don't know where this leaves us, but it's encouraging to see some progress.